


Across the Borderlands

by a_dusky_gold



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Action/Adventure, Apprentice!Charlie, Fantasy, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Graphic Description, Knotting, M/M, Magic, Magic-Users, Mates, Pack Dynamics, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rimming, Sex, Unconventional ABO, Veternarian!Dean, Wolf Pack, Wolf!Cas, episodic, familiar!Cas, protective!Sam, shifter!cas, witch!Dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-18
Updated: 2017-02-18
Packaged: 2018-09-25 07:10:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 40,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9808658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_dusky_gold/pseuds/a_dusky_gold
Summary: A wolf of the Borderlands, on the run. A veterinarian practicing witchcraft, still without a Familiar to center his power. And a Pack, rotting from the inside, headed by an alpha who is more dictator that leader.No one ever said mating was going to be easy.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Second time, SPN Reversebang! And as always, thanks to my beta, Baya-the-dragon, and my beloved cheerleaders, Aej, Ru-Dog, Dede and Rodrulz. Y'all are amazing, my bitches, I couldn't have done this without you to yell at me! 
> 
> To my wonderful artist, thank you so much for making this piece! Arandin has been amazing, and I'm so happy to have made a new friend, go show her some [love!](http://arandin.deviantart.com/)
> 
> Edit/Update - I was reviewing this and I realized I haven't tagged for triggers, and I'm so sorry!   
> TRIGGER WARNINGS - Graphic depiction of violence, rape, torture, brief homophobia
> 
> If you guys see anything else you think I should add, lemme know! The angst is limited to only about a third of the story, and it is definitely a happy ending! :) Enjoy!

                                             

They were behind him, closing in on him.

Rain pelted down on his white fur as Castiel’s sharp wolf-ears picked up on the sounds of their paws, chasing after him as they stumbled through the trodden path. The rest of his pack did not know these Borderlands as well as he did; he’d spent countless hours  smelling out these paths carved out by the humans. Well, other humans.

Sometimes, he forgot that he had once been human himself.

A whine trapped itself in his throat as a thorn sank into his paw, the sharp pain a stark contrast to the  cold wetness that was seeping into his bones. Mud sloshed against his fur, dirtying the once-pristine white color and he was glad for it; the dirtier he got, the easier it would be to hide himself within these dark woods.

But wolves were predators, even shapeshifting ones - especially shapeshifting ones, no matter that none of his pack had been human since the time they were pups.

Castiel wanted to be human again.

Pain seared through his injured foot, but he pressed down against it - this wouldn’t be the first time he was hurt during a chase, after all. He’d been a soldier once, defending their territory against other packs and he was used to pain much worse than this.

 **_“_ ** **_Oooowooooo_.** ** _”_ **

Anael.

He would know that howl anywhere - Anael had nuzzled him when he’d but a small pup, unable to sleep after his first transformation, terrified that he was never going to be human again. He’d curled into her warm fur, a soft red in contrast to the pure white of his own, and shivered as she rumbled a soft lullaby into his mind, tail curling with his own in an attempt to reassure him.

In the morning, they had both turned back into their human forms and she’d kissed his cheek and smiled at his preteen exuberance at finally having Shifted.

It was the second to last time he’d been human, the last time he’d seen her human form - because in Michael’s pack, there were no humans.

There were only wolves.

And now, Anael, his litter mate, his elder sister… she was the one leading the chase against him.

How quickly the tables turned.

With a soft growl, Castiel jumped across the log in front of him. His forelimbs were shaking, the blood gushing out faster as the thorn embedded itself further into the soft underside of his paw. He could ignore the pain, but the blood was going to lead them straight to him. The rain wasn’t washing it away fast enough for his tastes - _he had to get out, he_ **_had_ ** _to warn -_

Castiel yelped as a huge grey wolf jumped in front of him, blocking his path. He reared up on his hind legs, growling a warning even as the other wolf leapt towards him with a snarl. They both fell back to the ground, hissing savagely as teeth and claws flashed in the frail moonlight, Castiel’s wounded and tired form buried beneath the gigantic grey fur of Inias.

**_Stop._ **

Anael’s voice was devoid of all emotion as it resounded in his head and Castiel’s heart sank - he’d been caught as he’d feared.

 ** _Anael,_** he began, voice pleading, even as Inias pinned him to the ground with huge paws… the same paws that he had once licked over as he’d trained this pup to become a soldier.

**_Castiel._ **

**_Please,_ ** he begged, **_please, Anael, you cannot - Michael, he -_ **

**_He’s alpha, Castiel._ ** Her tone was firm, unyielding and he yelped, closing ice-blue eyes against the pelting rain as he held back the sudden tears that burn against his eyelids - such a human thing to do even in wolf form.

But then he’d never quite been the right kind of wolf, had he?

 **_Alpha doesn’t mean right, Anael,_ ** he murmured and from the silence that greeted him, he knew that she didn’t disagree. But that didn't mean that she agreed either. **_Anael, please, let me - he can’t -_ **

**_Let him up, Inias,_ ** she cut him off and the pressure around his neck lightened as he looked up to see Inias move back. His hackles were still raised, teeth pulled back in a quiet snarl and Castiel sneered at him, heart breaking at the way his once litter-mate rowled in response.

 **_He’ll destroy them,_ ** _C_ astiel voice was a cross between a plea and an accusation. **_Both of them - they’ll destroy everything and I can't just -_ **

**_Stand by and watch, I know,_** Anael said. **_But you’re not alpha, Castiel. You’re a foot soldier, nothing more._**

 ** _What difference does that make?_** he growled back. **_We aren’t fully wolf,_** **Anna** ** _._** He stressed the last word and she yelped, eyes narrowing at the use of her human name.

 **_Don't call me that,_ ** she hissed. **_That part of my life… it’s over._ **

**_But it doesn’t have to be,_** he sounded desperate and he knew it. **_Anna, we’re as human as we are wolf. We can become Familiars, we’ve power enough that we can stand up to Michael and Lucifer, we don't have to be wolves -_**

 **_So what, Castiel?_ ** she sneered. **_If we’re not wolves, are we_ ** **human** **_then?_ **

**_We’re_** **free** ** _, Anna,_** he muttered. **_We don't have to bind ourselves to one form, we’re free to be both. Michael can’t -_**

**_Enough_** _._

Castiel fell silent, watching his old littermate as she shook the water off her red fur and raised her head to the moon, howling her displeasure to the skies above.

**_Anna -_ **

**_Come, Inias._ **

The grey wolf stepped back, rowling in confusion as Castiel struggled to get up, tilting his head at Anael in surprise.

**_Anael?_ **

She ignored the younger wolf and bent down to lick the blood off of Castiel’s injured paw. He started in surprise, pulling back as she straightened up to nuzzle his fur with her muzzle.

 ** _Go, Castiel,_** her voice was weary and tired. **_Go and don't come back. If we find you here, we will kill you._**

**_Anael, you can’t be serious -_ **

**_I am, Inias,_** she insisted.

**_Anael -_ **

**Go** **_, Castiel._ **

Without another word, she turned around and leapt across the same log he’d stumbled over, trotting past the trees and vanishing behind them. Both Inias and Castiel watched her go, the former still shocked.

**_Inias -_ **

**_Don't, Castiel._ **

His litter mate’s voice was sharp, but he didn’t stop Castiel as he struggled to his feet, eyeing his warily.

**_Inias, I -_ **

Snarling at him, Inias turned his back deliberately on Castiel and then bounded off after Anael, refusing to listen to him any longer. A moment passed, and another, before he heard the sound of a loud howl, calling all wolves to itself.

Anael was helping him escape by bringing the rest of the chasers to where she was - she was drawing them away from him.

Hardly daring to believe it, Castiel gingerly put weight on his injured paw, whining softly as pain stabbed through his entire foot. Shivering from a mixture of cold and fear, he forced himself to move, putting one paw in front of the other slowly, surely, until he was running.

Adrenalin pumped through his veins as he recalled the cruel look in Michael’s eyes, the black wolf’s fur standing up in formidable rage as he howled his displeasure to the moon.

**_He had to get out, he had to find the Council, he had to stop both Michael and Lucifer or -_ **

Castiel yelped as he bounded out of the forest and the Borderlands and straight on to the road. The soft, green smell of the forest faded into the background as something overwhelmingly human hit his nostrils; the road smelled of tar, the ground coarse against his paws in a manner entirely different than the jungle grass.

The rain soaked through his fur as he snarled, raring back as the huge, black car in front of him flashed bright lights -

**_He couldn't see, why couldn't he see, it was coming straight at him -_ **

The last thing he remembered was a pair of concerned hazel eyes and the smell of something warm, gritty and unerringly human.

*-*-*

“Dean!”

Charlie startled awake at the sound of the younger Winchester’s panicked voice echoing through the empty reception of the clinic. She’d been putting together spreadsheets of their finances, halfway into the fiscal year, and apparently, she’d fallen asleep right on top of her keyboard, if the wetness on her spacebar from her drool was any indication.

Making a face, she sighed and grabbed a tissue to wipe it down, looking up as Sam burst into the room, hazel eyes wide and worried, expression arranged into one of fear and concern. He was dripping wet from the rain outside, hair tangled and wild and soppy and she threw up her hands as he stomped over to her.

“Where’s Dean, Charlie?” he demanded, sounding frayed and torn and she shook her head.

“Out on a date, Sam,” she responded, raising an eyebrow. “Dude, you look like Cinderella lost her shoe. What’s up?”

“Jesus fuck,” he swore and she tilted her head in question; Sam didn’t have a potty mouth, that was his elder brother. Narrowing her eyes, she handed him a couple of the napkins she’d used earlier.

“What happened, Sam?” she asked and he sighed, taking out the towels she held out and rubbing them through his hair.

“I hit something,” he admitted, voice low and soft. “A wolf… it’s still alive, but…”

Charlie straightened up, jumping out of her seat and walking past the trembling Winchester.

“Where?” she asked briskly.

“In the car,” he followed her. “I called Dean, but he didn’t pick up, Amelia is on vacation and you weren’t answering either and I didn’t know what to do and oh God, he was breathing, but there was so much blood, Charlie -”

“Sam, breathe,” she cut in, “We’ll see what we can do.”

He blinked, nodding tiredly as they headed out to the clinic’s parking lot, where he’d left the Impala running. Dean had been against Sam taking his baby, but Sam had insisted that he’d need it to impress his latest client - getting his small lawyer’s firm off the ground was proving more challenging than he’d expected and Dean hadn’t been able to say no to the power of those magic puppy eyes.

She held back a sigh at the sight of the busted up lights on the Impala - hitting the wolf had definitely caused damage to the car and Dean was not going to be happy about it. Hurrying forward, she yanked the door open, only to freeze at the sight in front of her.

The wolf lying prone in front of her was gorgeous, no doubt about it. It had fur the color of the purest, softest snow, but now it looked tainted from the crimson color of the blood coating its side. Its muzzle was facing the door, where she was standing, its jaws lying open. It was panting, even though it was unconscious, and she could see that it was struggling to breathe.

But that wasn’t what surprised her.

Stumbling back, she pushed Sam out of her way, throwing up a defensive shield - this was no ordinary wolf.

“Charlie!” Sam protested.

“Stand back, Sam,” she insisted. “This isn’t just a wolf, there’s something…”

The magic surrounding the creature glowed ice-blue to her witch eyes. She’d been training with Dean for maybe two weeks now, having finally convinced the damned overprotective elder Winchester brother to let her into the life. She knew there was something magical about the wolf - she just didn’t now what. She hadn’t grown up around magic without being able to recognize it when she saw it.

Sam, on the other hand, had never learnt anything; he’d turned his back on the lifestyle years ago when John was just starting out, pissed at the way it began to consume his father. He and Dean had since made up, but he’d decided to stay far away from magic, despite having the innate ability to do spellwork.

“Charlie, the wolf is fucking hurt -!” he protested and she shook her head.

“But it’s not a normal wolf, Sam,” she snapped, “There’s definitely something magical about it, it’s -”

“It’s injured,” he cut in firmly, “What would Dean say if he were here?”

That shut her up fast; magic or no magic, Dean was a veterinarian, and he’d never let a creature die if he could save it.

She turned around and met Sam’s fierce, firm eyes and felt herself relenting. The wolf was a gorgeous creature and despite the fact that it wasn’t just a plain old dog, she knew she couldn’t let it die. With a sigh, she offered him a nod, stepping back and letting him move forward.

“Bring him inside,” she instructed, “Set him on my table, I’ll see if I can save him.”

“Thanks, Charles,” Sam muttered, dropping a quick kiss on her cheek and bending down to heft the big cat into his arms. He huffed as he pulled back up; no doubt the creature was damn heavy, given how huge it looked to be. A soft whinny escaped its mouth and she saw the slight tremor run through its entire body.

Her expression softened at the wolf’s behavior. This proved, of course, beyond a reason, that this was no ordinary wolf - it seemed to possess some kind of conscious even if it was currently out of it. It certainly wasn’t acting like a wild creature would. But in spite of that, she suddenly found that she wanted to help; it was why she’d initially chosen to be a vet, why she’d gone to med school in the first place.

Sam carried him inside as she’d commanded and set him down carefully on her operating table. He winced as he straightened up, flexing those powerful arms and she smiled quickly at him, pulling on her surgical gloves and pressing down gently on the wolf’s side.

The wound was a deep, long, jagged cut where Sam had smashed the Impala into the animal’s side. There was thick swelling around it, but she could detect no other sources of trauma. A quick couple of stitches and some rest would be enough to set it free in the wilderness again.

“Well?” Sam asked anxiously and Charlie held back on rolling her eyes at his hovering.

“It’s just a flesh wound,” she told him, “A couple stitches and some laid-up time, and you can set him out there again.”

Heaving a huge sigh of relief, Sam dropped into the chair behind him, hands trembling as he buried his face in them. Sighing in sympathy, she offered his shoulder a quick squeeze before moving around him to get her medical tools, pulling out her gauze and surgical mask. Within half an hour, she’d stitched the skin back together, injecting the creature with anaesthetic.

She wouldn't be lying if she said that that was entirely for its own benefit; she wanted to get Dean in to see what this creature was before it could wake up.

“Sam,” she called softly; the lawyer had fallen asleep on her desk, exhausted from his night time adventure. He startled awake, rubbing his eyes as he turned to her with a quizzical eyebrow.

“All done?” he rasped, and she nodded back at him.

“But I need you to move him,” she said. Waving her hand, she pointed to the cage that Dean kept for emergencies, one that was equipped with the magic to hold back even the strongest of creatures. The Winchester Clinic had mostly a mortal clientele, but once in awhile, a number of magical animals - mostly Familiars of the practicing witches in the area - would pop by and not all were the friendly sort.

“Charlie,” Sam protested, “He’s injured and he’s on anesthetic! The last thing he’s going to do is claw our eyes out, don't you think?”

“I’m not taking that chance, Sam,” she said firmly. “Saving his life was one thing, but I’m not stupid enough to assume that he’s friendly. Even if it was a normal wolf, you know this is what we’d be doing,” she paused, taking in his puppy eyes and shook her head, “I’m sensing strong magic from him, Sam. So snap to it, Winchester.”

He sighed, her tone allowing no room for budging, and with a grunt, picked up the wolf for the third time that night, gently placing the sleeping creature inside the cage she was pointing to.

With a wave of the redhead’s hand, the cage snapped shut, leaving just enough room for the wolf to move around. The charm on the lock glowed golden for a moment before it went out, indicating that the it was secured and Charlie snapped her gloves off, sighing softly and stretching out the kinks in her back before moving to the sink to wash her hands.

“I’ll get Dean in the morning,” she said, “Go home, Sam. Call your fiancée, get some rest.”

“Will…” Sam hesitated, turning his worried gaze to the sleeping wolf locked up in Charlie’s office, “Will he be okay?”

“He’ll be fine,” she murmured kindly. “You didn't harm him, I promise.”

He offered her a small smile before grabbing his keys and pulling her in for a quick side-hug.

“Thanks, Charles,” he muttered into her hair and she hugged him back, punching his shoulder lightly as they separated.

“See you tomorrow, Winchester.”

*-*-*

When _Carry on My Wayward Son_ blasted itself into his ears, Dean awoke with a start, throwing his arm out to find the blasted thing and turn it off. Jamming down hard on the end call button, he stuffed beneath his pillow, sighing into the warmth of the covers just as he heard a soft groan next to him.

“Whossit?”

Dean shot up in bed, sleep fading away as he realized where he was. On the other side of the bed, Aaron opened his eyes to smile at him gently and he winced; the late night dinner and the mutual blowjobs had been good, but he’d known even when he’d entered the guy’s home that he wasn’t going to be staying.

His phone blasted _Kansas_ again and he shot up a silent thanks to whoever it was, quickly grabbing the thing and jumping off the bed to look for his pants as he answered the call. Aaron’s smile turned into a frown as Dean shot him an apologetic look, holding up a finger to stall the protest when he opened his mouth.

“Dr. Winchester here,” he said and a familiar snort came through the line.

“Another fuck and run, I see, _Doctor_ Winchester,” Charlie said dryly and Dean whistled lowly, stuffing his phone between his teeth and his shoulders as he pulled on his shoes.

“Oh you need me to come into the clinic now?” he raised his tone just the slightest bit, slapping a fake, apologetic smile on to his face as he shrugged at Aaron before grabbing his jacket.

Charlie snorted again, but then sighed as she said, “Actually, we do. Something happened last night, you need to come see this.”

Her tone turned serious and Dean paused for a moment, worried. “I’ll be there in ten,” he told her, hanging up abruptly as Aaron reached out, eyebrow raised.

“I’m sorry,” the vet cut him off before he could get a word in, “I need to run, new patient at the clinic. Thanks for a fun night!”

“Hey!”

He ignored the younger man’s call of protest and strode out, wincing at the feel of the jizz-crusted shirt pulling at his skin. Closing the door behind him, he groaned as he caught sight of Sam’s Charger sitting in Aaron’s driveway. Damn, but he missed his Baby, and right now, with the slight buzz of alcohol in his system along with the magic sizzling at his fingertips, it was her he wanted, not Sam’s stupid Pimpmobile.

He slid into the driver’s seat, jamming the keys into the ignition. Just as he was about to rev the engine up, the car started shrieking, the doors banging themselves shut, the windshield wipers slapping across the glass as the water sprayed bubbles into the air. The headlights conked on and off and Dean yelped as the car began to shake, engine burning up as the accelerator pressed down on itself.

“Dammit!” he swore, hitting the dashboard with his fist, the magic leaking out of his fingertips in a helpless green strand. This - _this_ was why he needed Baby. Witches without a Familiar used objects that had absorbed their magic over the years to settle their power; it wasn’t the same as having a living, breathing Familiar to center their magic, but it was certainly better than random things flapping about messily like this.

Growling, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. It took a long moment, but the sizzling in his fingertips finally settled and the car stopped acting bonkers. Muttering irritatedly, he revved up the engine and slammed his foot down on the accelerator, taking off in the direction of his clinic.

The twenty-minute drive flew by fast enough, even if Sam did have only craptastic music tastes. Parking the Pimpmobile, he strode into the reception, only to freeze right there in front of Charlie’s desk, every instinct pinging.

That feeling… that _magic_.

Fuck, he’d never felt anything this strong.

“Goddamned it,” he whispered, throat going dry at the way the power called to him - the magic was a blue, blue strand, pulling him towards itself. He didn’t know what it was, just that it was the strongest, most powerful thing he’d felt in a long time, perhaps ever.

Without knowing what he was doing, he moved forward as if in a daze, closing his eyes and letting instinct take over. Behind his eyelids, he _saw_ the blue - it was as bright and loud as the navy sky on a sunny day, calling him, yanking him. As he entered the examination room, he froze at the sight that greeted him. Because right there, in front of him, was the cage they used to keep animals in the clinic overnight, and inside it, was a wolf.

Fur the color of the fresh snow fallen on the ground, paws outstretched with muzzle buried into them, the wolf lay unconscious within the cage. Magic crackled in the air, surrounding the creature, as Dean stepped forward, his witch senses lost to the feeling of the wolf’s own power. He could feel Charlie’s locking spell around the cage, but it was faint, barely there next to the feel of the creature’s scent, which seemed to drown out everything else.

This was… this wasn’t just any wolf, this was a _Familiar_.

This was a shifter.

This could be _his_ Familiar.

As though sensing his very presence, the wolf’s eyes snapped open. They were the color of a clear mountain lake on a bright, sunny day - the same as his magic. Sharp white teeth flashed as he jumped up, powerful hind legs quivering against the cage’s bars as a low, angry growl filled the room.

Dean snapped forward, quickly dissolving Charlie’s spell as he flashed the gates of the cage open. Dimly, he registered the soft cry of his redheaded apprentice in the background as she came rushing in to the room, alerted by the sudden vanishing of her magic, but he ignored it as he froze in front of the wolf.

The second, low growl was his only warning.

The wolf pounced, rearing back on strong limbs, the rumbling in his throat rough and wild. Dean tumbled to the ground, arms thrown up instinctively as blunt claws buried themselves into his shirt, canine teeth stopping inches from his face. Icy eyes peered into his own, keeping him frozen beneath an alien gaze even as a vast, powerful and curious mind touched his.

“Dean!”

“Stay back!” he called, throwing up a barrier that was too difficult for a novice like Charlie to break through. He trusted his apprentice, but this first meeting was something between _him_ and the wolf.

**_Dean?_ **

**_That’s my name,_** he answered softly, hardly daring to breathe. The hot puff of air across his face was strangely soothing, even as the wolf dipped its head in acknowledgement.

**_Hello, Dean._ **

**_And who are you?_ **

**_I’m Castiel, wolf of the Borderlands._ **

The link between them, so far bright and blue behind Dean’s eyes, now flashed a soft pink as a warm, rough tongue darted out to lick at his neck. The rumble of Castiel’s growl turned into a low whinny, and a wet nose nudged his chin as the wolf buried his muzzle in the crook between the witch’s shoulder and neck.

Castiel was being _shy_ \- the realization startled a delighted chuckle out of Dean who raised a hesitant hand to his muzzle, running his fingers through fur the color of the purest snow he’d ever seen. It was soft, softer than he’d expected, and he sighed as he opened his mind to the wolf fully.

The vast, alien mind welcomed him, as if he’d made to fit there, as if Dean _belonged_ there. In return, the shades of clue opened up to Dean’s own green, letting him see Castiel’s life, letting him peruse Castiel’s whole history, even as he allowed him to look through the Life and Times of Winchester.

_They were small, but the howl that escaped their lips with the first shift was that of pure pain. Rearrangement of bones wasn’t the most fun thing in the world, no matter how much they enjoyed being wolf, even as a young pup._

_Wolf limbs turned to little human hands that fumbled to hold their baby brother closer to them; it was hot, so hot, as the fire burned its rage through their home, eating through their dame’s body, even as they raced outside to keep Sammy safe._

_The cloying stink of the fire shifted to the warm, fresh smell of grass and the forest as they raced through the woods; their nose twitched as they scented their prey, ears pricking back in anticipation of the sound. Their paws padded softly against the green jungle floor and they whined softly in their throat, licking their lips as they crouched on their still-growing hind legs and then pounced forward, running through the trees -_

_\- even as the feel of the grass gave way to the leather of the Impala, and they cuddled their blood brother’s small form against their own, trying to keep warm, their father’s angry muttering floating across the front seat. They could see their cold breath against the windows, fogging up the glass, and Sammy shivered, huddling into their arms, barely five and already so, so wounded -_

_\- Anna’s warm breath drafted across their face as they whined, wanting nothing more than to shift back into human form again; being wolf was wonderful, warm and wild, but they wanted to hug her with two arms and not worry about having to be careful with their teeth when they tussled -_

_\- they were sixteen and sliding into the hot, tight warmth of the woman before them, her legs wrapped across their waist, even as she gasped into their mouth. She was wet and willing, but they already knew that as wonderful as Lisa was, she was not their mate, not the one they were looking for -_

_\- they were twenty and growling at Michael, begging him to see reason, begging him to let the pack free, to be both human and animal; they were shifters_ and _Familiar, they were not meant to be restricted to a single form -_

_\- they were twenty-three and yelling at Dad to let Sammy go, to let him pursue his own dreams, because Dad’s quest for revenge had consumed their entire world, from when they were barely pups and into adulthood, and if there was anything they wanted, it was for Sam to be happy -_

_\- they were twenty-four and shifted into human form, teaching young Samandriel how to let their wolf instincts fade away into that of their human form, when they were caught by Naomi and Zachariah, dragged into assembly with Michael, where the alpha wolf growled at them to submit -_

_\- they were twenty-five and following Sam to California, where they went to med-school in the wake of Dad’s death, finally free to be their own person, confused and lost and happy and wild -_

_\- they were twenty-eight, watching quietly as Anna, the one wolf who had defied Michael, now submitted, whinnying in front of the pack alpha as she bowed her head, and they felt the hope drain away, wilting in their chest, even as they swallow their own whine of fear -_

_\- they were thirty-five and opening the Winchester Clinic, Sam’s warm presence a bright beacon of love at their back, Charlie’s witch power a glowing red bundle of adoration and exasperation in equal parts as they stuffed their faces with pie -_

_\- they were Dean and Castiel, Witch and Familiar, human and animal -_

**_Be mine, Cas,_** Dean whispered, gasping as the memories raced through his head. The wolf bent down, sharp teeth grazing the tender skin of his neck just enough to leave a slight cut, fighting the instinct to bite down, to claim, because neither of them were ready for that yet.

 **_If you will be mine, Dean,_ ** he returned. He lifted his head, blue eyes meeting green squarely, clashing endlessly as he asked, **_Will you have me?_ **

**_I will._ **

The brightness flashing behind their eyes grew a blinding, glowing white and then Dean knew nothing but the warm darkness of sleep.

*-*-*

Warmth.

His fur was matted with dried blood and his entire side ached from where the car had crashed into him, but all Castiel knew when he came to was the rough warmth of his mate lying curled around him, his human hands buried in Castiel’s muzzle and clutching at the tender skin beneath, the smell of him absolutely delightful.  

**_His mate._ **

The thought sent a shiver racing down his lupine spine; Castiel had never expected to find his mate outside his pack, much less in that of a human form. Dean was a witch of course, but he was no shifter, and the wolf had not known that mating bonds could go outside of species.

But it did; Dean's _smell_ , that of pure leather and oak, had _called_ to him, pulling him from his sleep even as held snapped and awake, confused and angry and lost. He'd jumped on the witch, who'd caught him and opened his mind to the wolf - Castiel didn't know where they stood now, but suddenly, the world, the pack, everything he'd fought so hard for…

It all seemed so trivial next to staying by Dean's side.

Nuzzling into the warmth of the witch, he sniffed at that wonderful smell again, pink tongue darting out to lick at Dean’s neck, even as he pressed his nose into the crook of his shoulder.

“Dude,” a soft grunt came from his mate, and weary green eyes opened as Dean shivered, twisting his neck away from Castiel’s grasp. **_Wet nose, not cool._ **

Castiel’s soft growl was one of amusement and Dean offered him a small glare, pushing the wolf back with a groan.

“Damn, my head,” he sighed. Castiel sniffed at his temple, about to nuzzle into his side again when a loud, female yell distracted both of them.

_“DEAN!”_

Wincing, Dean looked up from where they both lay on the floor to see a redheaded young woman hovering at the doorway, her eyes wide and worried, her expression pinched. Her scent was faint through the barrier that his mate had set up, but it was terrified enough that he could still smell it.

“It’s alright, Charlie,” Dean waved his hand, pushing apart from Castiel lightly to stand up on wobbly legs.

“You get this barrier down right the fuck now, Winchester, or I swear I’mma tell everyone that you have a damn panty kink!” she raised her arms angrily, but Castiel ignored her as a memory rose, unbidden, at the back of his head.

_They were standing in front  of Rhonda Hurley, wearing the pink satin panties, enjoying the way the soft material pulled tight against their skin. Rhonda wasn’t a small woman, but the underwear was still snug enough that it chafed the slightest bit, cutting across their stiff cock as they flushed, looking straight into the mirror she held up for them -_

Dean yelped, pushing the wolf away fully and jumping to his feet. The red flush spreading down his neck was absolutely wonderful and Castiel could smell both the arousal and embarrassment emanating from his mate, a low growl rumbling at the back of his throat at the memory.

 ** _You’re beautiful,_** he murmured into Dean’s mind, but the witch refused to look at him, instead facing his apprentice, who was still waving angrily at the barrier that separated them, now glowing a soft green.

“Dean!”

The witch sighed, pointing his finger at the barrier and muttering below his breath. There was a flash of green and Castiel felt the shift of the magic as Dean’s spell dissolved, the invisible wall shattering as the redhead fairly flew at him, fists raised. She jumped into his arms, murmuring incoherently, pulling back with a light scowl and pounding at his chest with her small hands.

“Asshole,” she cursed, “Don't you ever do that to me again, do you hear?”

“I’m fine, Charles,” he sighed, “I just-”

“Just got jumped on by a wolf and then went all glowy and passed out on the ground for an hour in which I called Sam in a panic and got him and Amelia to get home in a rush?” she snarked, slapping his arm.

Dean stiffened.

“You called Sam?” he asked incredulously, “Charlie, what the hell!”

“What was I supposed to do?” she snapped, “You were out of it Dean, on the floor, with a fucking two-hundred pound wolf over you, and you threw up a fucking barrier so I couldn’t get in! Who else was I gonna call, animal control?”

“You realize Amelia’s gonna kill us for getting her outta that conference for nothing?” he groaned.

Charlie smirked, “Well, she’s _your_ sister-in-law, not mine.” She turned to Castiel, who was still crouching patiently on the floor.

“So what the hell is this thing, then?”

 **_I am not a thing,_ ** Castiel growled, offended and Dean sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers. **_Aren’t all witches familiar with the idea of shifters?_ **

“Give her break, she’s barely been training for three weeks,” he said tiredly. “And you don't exactly look very welcoming at the moment, Cas.”

Charlie shot him a strange look. “Dude, you talkin’ to that creature?” she asked.

Castiel ignored her, fixing icy blue eyes straight on to the vine green gaze of his mate.

**_Cas?_ **

Dean’s flush deepened. “Uh… yeah, just slipped out, I…” he raised an arm to rub the back of his head sheepishly and Castiel rumbled happily.

It was _Dean’s_ turn to be shy and it delighted him.

Without another word, he leapt on the witch a second time, pushing past Charlie, who shrieked in fear and confusion as she fell back, gripping the cage for support. The witch went tumbling down, arms coming up automatically to band around the wolf’s fur as Castiel nosed into his neck, licking over his pulse point with a rough tongue.

Dear God, he wanted to bite that neck and claim him.

**_Dude!_ **

Dean’s protest was half-hearted, a token call and Castiel pulled back to offer him a sweet whine throwing his paws over his head in a mocking gesture of apology and submission.

“Dude,” Charlie gasped as she caught her breath and straightened herself up. “What. The. Fuck.”

“C’mon, Cas,” Dean sighed, running his hands through Castiel’s fur. “We have some ‘splainin’ to do. And Sammy’ll be here with his fiancée soon, we’re gonna have to introduce you to him.” he paused, looking up at Castiel’s looming wolf figure and shook his head.

 **_Fuck, this is really happenin’, isn’t it?_ ** his voice was terrified in Castiel’s mind, shades of fear and horror leaking through their link as Dean shook silently, unwilling to let his apprentice see him in this state. Confusion, worry and a quiet question he didn't want to voice  lingered at the back of his mind and the wolf tilted his head.

 **_Dean,_ ** Castiel leaned over to lick his face in comfort. **_Soothe your apprentice first. What you’d like to share about the nature of this bond is your choice…_ ** it was his turn to pause as he whined and nuzzled his nose into Dean’s neck again, inhaling the pure scent of leather and oak that was the strongest there. **_We can discuss it before you decide anything._ **

**_Thanks, Cas._ **

The relief washing over him was so strong and pure, it had Castiel whining all over again. A part of him hurt that his mate was rejecting him, rejecting telling his own pack the truth, but the rest of him - the human half - understood. They’d only just met, and even if they were already attuned to one another, even if they already knew everything about each other…

It was still too soon.

“Dean, what the hell is going on here?” Charlie demanded, her voice shaking as she watched them wide-eyed. Dean stood and motioned for her to come forward. She walked to him on wobbly legs, eyeing the huge wolf sitting by his side warily.

“It’s alright, kiddo,” Dean assured her. “Cas won’t harm you.”

He let his hand fall to Castiel’s fur, sifting through it almost absentmindedly and Charlie stared at him.

“Cas?” she asked again.

“Castiel,” Dean muttered. He looked up to meet her eyes defiantly. “The wolf… he’s a shifter. And…” he straightened up and glared at her as she raised a questioning eyebrow. “And my Familiar.”

Charlie frowned.

“Familiar?” she repeated and Dean nodded.

“Shifters who help witches concentrate our magic better?” he reminded her and her eyes lit up in recognition. “You need to get back to studying, Red,” he chuckled and she made a face at him. “Looks like you’re slippin’.”

“Gimme  a break, it’s been ages since I was around magic,” she muttered. Turning to Castiel, she continued, “so wait, this is a shifter? A _person_?”

Castiel shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny, not quite looking away from her piercing gaze, but sitting back on his hind legs, spine tight with anxiety. That was a question that hit a bit too close to home; he _was_ a person, but he hadn't been human in longer than he could remember.

**_Easy, Cas. Charlie’s harmless._ **

The question also reminded him of the real reason he’d left the Borderlands; he needed to get to the Council, he needed to protect his pack and let them know what Michael had planned. The sudden flash of urgency had him whining and Charlie started back in surprise, even as Dean let his hand sift through Castiel’s fur in a wordless gesture of comfort.

“Yeah, he is,” he answered her question.

“Can I…” she hesitated before plowing on determinedly, “Can I see him? That is,” she turned to Castiel and addressed him directly, “Can I see you… _Cas_?” she looked to Dean for confirmation.

“Castiel,” he murmured and Charlie smiled, a bit nervous, but inching forward and holding out a hand for the wolf.

“Can I see you, Castiel?” she asked softly, “I’m sorry about before, I thought you were just a wolf, I’ve never met a shifter before…” she trailed off when he dropped to the floor, covering his face just as he’d done a few moments previously, only this time, it wasn’t from tussling or submission or playing.

How long had it been since he’d been addressed like this, like he was a human? How long since he’d been treated as more than an animal with a bare instinct?

Michael had taken all that away from him, from the whole pack. They’d never know what it was to be treated as human, to be given choice and freedom - Charlie was _asking_ to see him, not demanding genuflection with a display of dominance or aggression. Her scent was clearly terrified; she was still unsure about this huge, scary wolf in front of her, but she was setting aside her fear and worry to ask him if she had permission to share his human form.

The tears that stung his eyes were hot and wet and Dean leaned into his side, stroking over his wound with a soft palm, pressing his face into Castiel’s muzzle.

“Uh… what?” Charlie muttered, confused. The worry in her scent cranked up the slightest bit and she hesitantly leaned over to rub her own hand against his fur, gentle and soft fingers sifting through the blood matted hair she herself had stitched up not hours ago.

“Did I say something wrong?” she demanded. “What’s goin’ on?”

“It’s a long story, Charles,” Dean muttered. “Let Sam get here and we’ll explain it… but until then… if you could…”

He looked pointedly at where Castiel lay prostrate, his huge wolf form shaking from emotion he did not know how to process, tilting his head toward the shifter in silent question. Charlie was a smart girl, understanding instantly. She backed away, throwing her hands up, though she lingered close.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

Castiel wasn’t sure if the question was directed at him or Dean, but he whined nonetheless even as his mate offered the affirmative.

“We’ll be okay,” he said and she sighed, turning to go. Castiel pushed up against Dean’s grip, growling softly and she froze, breath hitching in fear as she turned back, expression a mix of both curiosity and worry.

 **_Wait,_ ** he reached out with his mind uncertainly. He’d never spoken to a witch this way, only shared thoughts with his own pack, and now Dean. But Charlie’s mind just as warm and welcoming as he’d seen in his mate’s memories.

She yelped, eyes going wide at the sound of his gruff voice at the back of her head. Dean watched with a smirk as the wolf padded up to her, whining until she lowered her hand for him to sniff at and then offer a tentative lick.

 **_Thank you,_ ** he said softly. **_For not treating me like only a beast._ **

She blinked, still confused - she had no context for any of this, of course, but Dean’s sad smile told her everything she needed to know.

 _Later,_ he mouthed and she swallowed her question and nodded back in acquiescence. On impulse, she bent down and pressed a quick kiss to Castiel’s head, stroking his fur gently before whispering, “Welcome, Cas. If you’re Dean’s family… then you’re mine too.”

Before the astounded wolf could respond, she turned around and bounded away, her scent already having shifted from worried and terrified to strangely happy and shy - she _liked_ him.

It was a heady feeling.

“Hey, uh, Cas?”

Dean’s voice broke through the haze of warmth that settled over him and he turned on all fours to face his mate, who was staring at him nervously.

 **_Yes, Dean?_ ** he asked, padding back over to him.

“Can…” he hesitated, “Can _I_ see you?”

The uncertainty in his voice was part shyness, part worry and Castiel stiffened at the sound of it. It wasn’t that he didn't want to share his human form with him - Dean was his _mate_ , Castiel wanted to give him everything…

He just had no idea how to be human.

**_Dean, I…_ **

**_You’re my_ ** **mate** **_, Cas,_ ** Dean insisted. **_If you don't wanna do it now, I geddit, but… if we’re doing this… if you’re staying…_ **

He trailed off, flushing, and Castiel was startled to realize that his mate expected to be left behind. The half-formed bond that linked them flashed grey with bitterness and doubt and self-recrimination, and he growled, suddenly angry at the world, at every single person who’d made his mate feel as though he wasn’t enough.

 **_I’m not leaving you, Dean,_ ** he moved forward and pressed his wet nose into Dean’s neck. The witch didn’t protest this time, instead sighing and hugging him back, spreading his legs so Castiel could settle comfortably in between them.

 **_Then, show me, Cas,_ ** he whispered. **_I need to see you._ **

“Plus,” he said out loud, “I like kinky sex, but I sure as hell ain’t gettin’ fucked by a wolf,” he grinned and Castiel’s growl grew louder as the previous image of Dean in pink panties rose up in their minds simultaneously, a small tease as Dean bumped his hips against Castiel’s lower half.

 **_You’re a menace, Dean Winchester,_ ** it was the wolf’s turn to sigh. Looking up, he licked Dean’s face before muttering, **_I haven’t_ ** **been** **_human… I can’t… I_ ** **don’t…**

He didn't know _how_ . What if he wasn’t good enough for his mate? What if his human form was ugly and twisted, from all the time he’d been forced to deny it? What if Dean didn’t find him comely enough, if he messed up behaving in the manner that a human being ought to? For all that he’d wanted to shift forms again, he _knew_ what it meant to be a wolf, knew the forest and its inhabitants and its rules.

The human world was much more confusing.

Some of his panic must have shifted through the bond because Dean pressed a soft kiss to the tip of his nose and shook his head.

 **_Dude, no,_ ** he said, **_there isn’t a_ ** **right** **_way to be human. You’re just… you._ **

“And I’d like to see _you_ , if it’s okay,” the quiet whisper, murmured into Castiel’s skin was a plea he couldn't ignore.

Pushing back, he leaned up to lick at Dean’s face one last time, before he pulled away and stood stiff and tall, raising his muzzle to the sky. He heard Dean’s breath hitch in awe as he closed his eyes and called on the magic buzzing beneath his skin, breathing in deeply. It pulsed behind eyes, flashing blue, and then, there was the sound of a sudden crack as his bones began to shift.

His entire body buzzed, the dull ache growing into a sharp pain as his bones rearranged themselves and muscle and cartilage transformed from that of a canine into his human self. He whined softly, the sound changing from a wolf’s cry of pain to a man’s groan as his perception shifted, the world growing slightly smaller even as his sense of smell grew weaker than he was used to.

“Holy fuck,” Dean whispered.

When Castiel opened his eyes, he saw his mate staring back at him with an expression that was half-awe and half-fear. He lowered his gaze, unable to meet the witch’s stare, literally laid bare to the man he was going to dedicate his life to.

Nudity in the wild rarely felt so vulnerable.

He flinched as Dean stepped forward, shrinking back into himself, curling his arms protectively around his human body.

**_Cas?_ **

His mate’s voice was tentative, worried and he raised his head slowly.

 **_I’m sorry, Dean,_ ** he whispered. **_I know I’m not what you expected, I know you weren’t looking for a mate of any kind. I’m sorry this happened, I won’t -_ **

How could he be any kind of mate to Dean when he hadn’t been in the human world since he was a pup?

“Cas, shut up,” it was Dean’s turn to growl.

The next thing he knew, Castiel had been knocked to the ground, with Dean looming over him, his gaze hot and predatory. Blinking, he looked up at the witch whose pink tongue darted out to lick at his lips in anticipation as he stared back at the shifter, running his hands gently down the side of Castiel’s face.

“You’re fucking gorgeous,” he whispered.

“De-Dean, I-” his voice was a rasp, throat aching from the years of silence. **_I don't know -_ **

**_Neither do I, Cas,_ ** Dean interrupted. **_I’m shit at this, I’ve had_ ** **one** **_legitimate relationship before and I fucked it up. But…_ **

The bashful expression on his face was adorable and Castiel leaned up hesitantly, his human hand - with fingers, not claws - shaking as he rubbed a thumb against Dean’s cheek.

 **_If you want this with me,_ ** Dean continued determinedly, **_then I wanna try._ **

His mind lay open for Castiel to see, to accept or reject, and in a flash, he realized that this was _Dean’s_ nudity and vulnerability exposed to him, just as he was held open to his mate’s gaze.

 **_I want you, Dean Winchester,_ ** he murmured back. “I do want you.”

The words, uttered out loud, brought a smile to Dean’s face.

“I’m gonna kiss you now,” he said, lips widening into a cocky smirk, “Mr. Big, Bad, Wolf.”

Castiel smiled back, the expression feeling foreign but not unpleasant to his facial muscles.

“Not what Red Riding Hood said to the wolf, if I remember correctly,” he offered and Dean laughed, bending down so they were sharing the same breath for an instant.

“Well, I’m no innocent little girl,” he whispered, and then pressed warm lips to Castiel’s own. For a moment, the wolf didn’t react, unsure, before Dean’s soft tongue darted out and licked at his bottom lip, coaxing his mouth open, dipping into the hot crevices and sweeping across the roof of his mouth expertly. Castiel groaned softly, raising his arms to wrap around his mate’s shoulders, burying his fingers in the nape of his neck and marveling at the softness of his hair beneath his fingertips.

The heat between them was palpable as Castiel became more confident, tilting his head to accommodate Dean, nibbling lightly on his mate’s mouth, as he let his hand drift down the side of Dean’s body, yanking him closer and rubbing their hips together. He could feel his nether regions stir; this, at least, wasn’t entirely new - wolf anatomy wasn’t so different from human that he didn’t know arousal. Dean agreed, apparently, as he ground down on Castiel’s rapidly thickening erection, the cloth of his pants the only barrier that separated them at all.

One kiss bled into the next as Castiel pulled back to chastely press soft kisses to his mate’s lips before licking into his mouth and devouring him. Animal instinct had him flipping Dean on to his back, looming over him and boxing him in as his hands wandered further down his body to gently palm at him through the fabric of his pants when they encountered something dry and thick and rough.

Pulling back, he frowned, yanking his hand back up to scent it - fuck, that was _another_ man’s semen on his mate.

The link flashed red behind his eyes as Castiel growled, yanking Dean forward and crushing their mouths together. Dean was _his_ , his _mate_ , and he wasn’t going to share him - he’d missed the scent because the dried come on his pants was faint and a day old and the smell of _matematemate_ when he’d first scented Dean had been too strong.

But now that he could sense it, it was _all_ he could smell - the _other’s_ man’s smell on Dean, gritty and cloying and too strong on skin that should carry _Castiel’s_ scent and _no_ one else’s.

He pressed down hard on Dean’s erection and the keening moan that ripped itself from the witch’s throat was satisfying, even as the scent of slight fear and hesitation clogged Castiel’s nose.

“Ca-Cas,” Dean panted, “Cas, I-”

“You’re _mine_ ,” he growled against Dean’s neck, teeth scraping against delicate skin in anticipation of the bite that would go there - Dean was his mate, _his_ , and Castiel wanted to bite down and claim him.

**_Castiel._ **

It was as though a bucket of cold water had been splashed on him.

Dean’s scent was tinged with arousal, but the overwhelming smell of fear and anxiety drowned it out. Castiel pulled away as if burned, turning his back to his mate and shaking as he buried his face within his hands, the closest he could come to a posture of submission in human form.

He’d almost given in to wolf instinct, almost mated Dean without his consent.

The knowledge of it terrified him; how could he even hope to be human if he couldn't _kiss_ his mate properly without getting territorial? Dean was his, yes, but he was his own person - he had just met Castiel and he hadn’t accepted this bondy fully. Castiel had no right to him beyond what Dean could give him; wasn’t that the very reason he’d fled Michael, run for help?

“Cas,” Dean murmured from behind him.

Warm arms wrapped themselves around Castiel’s shaking form as a rough breath puffed hot behind his ear.

“Cas, it’s okay,” he muttered, “It’s alright.”

**_I-I… I almost…_ **

He shook and Dean pressed a gentle kiss to the crook of his shoulder.

“But you didn't,” he insisted, “Cas, it’s alright. I trust you.”

**_You shouldn't._ **

“I _do_ ,” he insisted. “This is crazy as fuck, we’ve known each other for all of three hours.”

He turned Castiel around in his arms to rest his forehead against his, raising a hand to brush at the shifter’s cheek. “I have no idea how this is gonna go,” he continued softly, “But I trust you. We’ll figure it out together.”

Castiel smiled shakily.

 **_Together…_ ** he sighed. **_I like the sound of that._ **

Dean grinned back, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. **_So do I, Cas,_ ** he replied. **_So do I._ **

*-*-*

Whatever Sam Winchester had expected to find at home on his return, this was not it. He’d been on his way to join his fiancée at her medical conference the next town over and had was just pulling up at Amelia’s hotel when Charlie had called him in a panic.

Neither he nor Amelia had been able to make out much from the redhead’s freaked out cries, but the words _wolf, magic_ and _jumped on Dean, passed out_ had caught their attention. It had taken them over half an hour to get Charlie calm enough to find out what had really happened; the wolf - that _Sam_ had brought home - had attacked Dean and now both were passed out on the clinic floor, with his idiot brother having blocked anyone from reaching them.

Sometimes, Sam was really, really proud of his elder brother’s intelligence and his abilities. This wasn’t one of those times.

It hadn’t taken Amelia too long after that to pack her bags; he’d offered to drive back himself so she could attend the conference she’d been looking forward to for the past two months, but she’d simply whacked the back of his head and demanded he pull the car out front while she went to take a quick shower.

They’d been on their way in less than an hour, Charlie giving them periodic updates on Dean, who was still out cold. Twenty minutes out and they received their final text -

_They’re awake._

Amelia, in the passenger seat, had called her back immediately, demanding to speak to Dean, but Charlie had simply stated that they should get home ASAP, refusing to say anything more no matter how much they pressed. Worried, Sam had pressed down on the pedal and they’d covered the last few miles as fast they could.

Suffice to say, when Sam came home, he was expecting to see something wrong with Dean, freaked that the wild animal _he’d_ brought back had hurt his brother.

He was not expecting to see a strange man sitting atop Dean’s operating table, wearing what he recognized as one of his brother’s plaid shirts. He was not expecting to see Charlie smiling at him dopily, or the man grin back at her, shy and unsure.

He definitely was not expecting to see his elder brother humming as he leaned over to drop a kiss to the man’s temple and ask him, “Have you tried coffee, babe?”

“What the hell?!” Sam yelped in response and three widening gazes turned to him. It wasn't like he wasn't aware that his brother liked to _“browse both sides of the aisle, Sammy!”_ , but that he was calling someone _babe…_ a stranger…

What the hell was going on?

“Sammy!” Dean called, gesturing him to come closer. Sharing a wary look with Amelia, who was just as stupefied, Sam moved forward, wondering just who this was.

“What the hell, Dean?” he demanded, grabbing his brother and inspecting him head to toe. “Charlie said - the wolf -”

“Cas wouldn’t hurt me, Sam,” Dean interrupted, “Charlie freaked.”

He shot his apprentice a glare and she smiled sheepishly, offering them a shrug.

“ _Cas_?” Amelia asked in confusion from behind him and the stranger in front of them shifted in his uneasily.

“Dean,” he said, whiskey-soaked voice sounding rough and hoarse. Dean shot him a reassuring look, untangling himself from Sam’s grasp and moving over to stand behind him, placing his hands on the man’s shoulder. Sam blinked as the guy instantly wilted, leaning into his brother's grip as though it was the only thing that was holding him up.

“Dude, what the hell is goin’ on here?” Sam asked and Dean sighed, tilting his head towards the empty chairs in front of them.

“May wanna take a seat for this, Sammy,” he said, “You too, Aimes.”

“Dean-” Amelia began and Charlie shook her head.

“Trust me guys,” she cut in, “Just sit. This shit is gonna blow your mind.”

Sharing another befuddled look, they sat down, turning expectant gazes to Dean.

“Who’s Cas?” Sam demanded, “Where the hell is that wolf? If that beast hurt you…”

A small sound that was neither a whimper nor a growl escaped the strange man and Dean squeezed his shoulder.

“Easy, babe,” he murmured. “It’s alright, Sam doesn’t know anything.”

“And since when do you call random men _babe_?!” Sam snapped, anxiety and worry thrumming through his veins as Dean glared up at him.

“Since they’re my mate and Familiar, I get to call him whatever the fuck I want, Sam!” he snapped back and Sam froze. Amelia’s hitch of breath barely registered as the full meaning of what Dean was saying sank in.

Familiar?

_Mate?_

What. The. Fuck.

“The wolf,” he breathed, the pieces falling in place, “The wolf I hit, he-”

“Is my Familiar, yeah,” Dean finished, tilting his head towards the man at the table, “You crashed my _baby_ into a shifter, Sam.”

The younger Winchester shrank back at the angry glare his brother shot him, knowing he was going to be in trouble later for damaging the Impala.

“ _Mate_ ?” Amelia’s choked out, “What the hell? Whose _mate_?”

“Mine,” the man answered, “Dean is my mate and I am his Familiar.”

The icy-blue eyes, so far wide and confused and uncertain now turned hard and stern, refusing to back down as he offered Sam a challenging look.

“The _hell_ ,” Sam let out a strangled noise, “Is going on here?”

“Your brother obviously went and found the tether to his magic who also happens to be the same person he wants to bump uglies with, Sam,” Charlie popped in, shrugging. “When have you Winchesters ever taken the easy way?” she tilted her head at Amelia, reminding him of their own fraught history. Sam winced, swallowing at the old memory of her former husband coming home and nearly ruining their entire relationship.

“Okay, will someone please tell me what the _fuck_ is happening here?” said fiancée demanded hotly. “Sam hits a wolf who just _magically_ happens to be Dean’s Familiar? And he’s also his fucking _mate_ ? _What the hell_?”

Dean sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose with his fingers, dropping into the empty seat next to Castiel.

“Cas, you wanna-?” he moved his hands in a gesture that encompassed everyone sitting in the room, and Castiel nodded, taking in a deep breath.

“Sam, Amelia,” he said, “What do you know about Familiars, given that neither of you practice witchcraft?”

“They help focus a witch’s magic,” Sam answered, remembering the old lessons John Winchester had drilled into them before he’d decided he’d wanted out. He’d never practiced spellwork himself, but that hadn’t stopped his dad from dumping that shit down his throat.

“And help center the witch’s power so accidental magic doesn’t leak out or cause harm to others,” Amelia continued, brows raising as Dean drew closer to Castiel and wrapped a casual arm around his shoulder.

“That’s correct,” Castiel nodded, “Familiars are also shifters, with the ability to move between our human and animal forms… I was running as a wolf when you hit me, Sam.”

Sam looked down, ashamed, “Sorry,” he murmured and Castiel offered him a tentative smile.

“It is not of import,” he replied.

“Explain the whole mate bit,” Amelia said tersely and Castiel turned to look at her with piercing eyes.

“As shifters,” he said, “our senses are finely attuned. Because my animal form is that of a wolf, many of my instincts are that of a wolf, including the ability to recognize a potential mate when we come across them.”

“But wouldn’t happen only with the possibility of pups?!” Amelia protested, “It’s not like two _guys_ can breed!”

Castiel’s scowl deepened, “I said that _many_ of my instincts are that of a wolf, not _all_. We aren’t fully beast, mating isn’t driven only by our need to reproduce or repopulate our pack.”

There was a testiness to his voice and Dean leaned in to squeeze his shoulder again and Sam turned his attention to his brother.

“And you’re just… _okay_ with this?!” he exclaimed, “A random guy shows up and claims that you’re his… his… _mate_ \- and you’re _alright_ with that?”

“Careful, Sam,” Dean growled, “I ain’t above knockin’ your teeth in.”

“Dean, you can’t just-” Amelia began and Dean cut her off angrily.

“Look, I geddit,” he snapped, “It’s weird as fuck, and we’ve met only today and it’s fucked up, but then what about our lives isn’t? I’m a _witch_ , and if _I_ say that Cas is _it_ for me, you’re just gonna have to trust that I know what I’m doing, because I ain’t a fuckin’ six year old with a crush on her teacher.”

“Sam, Amelia,” Castiel said gravely, “I understand your apprehension. But believe me when I say, hurting Dean would be the last thing I will do - he’s too important to me.”

The look he shot Dean was entirely too soft and heartwarming; it was the way Sam looked at Amelia, the way he’d always wanted someone to look at his brother - as though the whole world paled in comparison to him.

But this was still creepy as fuck.

“Castiel-Cas,” Sam corrected himself, “This is… I dunno what the hell this is… but Dean…” he looked up at his brother who was glaring at them both in defiance, “You’re sure about this?”

“As a heart attack,” Dean confirmed, “Cas ain’t goin’ anywhere, Sam, may as well accept that his ass is mine.”

A pink flush lit up Castiel’s face and he ducked his head in embarrassment as Charlie chuckled behind them.

“Aw, he’s adorable, Dean,” she grinned, “I approve.”

“Charles, you’re cool with this?” Amelia asked her, and Charlie shrugged.

“I know it’s weird as fuck, guys,” she said, “But I don’t sense any harm from Cas, and if Dean says he’s cool…” she smiled at the wolf who grinned back at her hesitantly, “Then he’s cool.”

Amelia sighed. “This _is_ wierd as fuck,” she agreed, sharing a discomfited look with Sam. “You’re not off the hook, Mister,” she told Castiel, voice purposefully accusatory, “But…” she shrugged, continuing, “I guess we’ll give you a chance.”

Sam sighed, massaging his own aching temples as Dean snorted.

“Gee, thanks, Your Highness,” he said sarcastically, “Would you like him to joust for my hand or are you gonna defend my honor against that too?”

“So you admit you’re a Princess,” Amelia shot back just as snarkily and Dean glared at her. Sam sighed a second time, rolling his eyes at his brother and his fiancée, who turned to Castiel.

“And what about your pack?” she asked him, “Wolves need to stay with their pack, can you leave that behind for our Princess here?”

“Aimes!” Dean snapped and she shrugged unapologetically.

“Just makin’ sure my princess is goin’ to the right man,” she grinned back, but Sam ignored their banter in favor of taking note of the manner in which Castiel stiffened.

“That…” he muttered, “I…”

“What is it?” Sam demanded. “What aren’t you telling us?”

“My pack,” Castiel whispered, gaze turning haunted, “Is in grave danger… that’s why I was running, Sam, when you crashed into me… I was running, to get help…”

Amelia’s smile faded as Dean threaded his fingers through Castiel’s in a wordless gesture of comfort. From the corner of his eyes, Sam watched Charlie grin quietly at their intertwined hands and he rolled his eyes mentally at the redhead’s shipping heart.

“Help?” Sam asked and Castiel nodded.

He took a deep breath, launching into the story, “My pack… you’re right, Amelia, to be suspicious of my wolf-nature and my animal instinct.”

“Cas-” Dean began, his voice a quiet warning, “It isn’t your-”

“Not my fault, Dean,” the wolf interrupted, “Not _entirely_.”

For a moment, silence reigned, before Castiel straightened up, fingers tightening around Dean’s grip.

“My pack alpha,” he said in a low voice, “Is a wolf named Michael. I doubt he even remembers what it is like to be human; he insists that all of us maintain our lupine forms because he believes it to be superior to human nature. From the moment we first Shift, he doesn’t allow us to Shift back into our human selves.”

Silence fell again and this time, Charlie’s horrified voice was the one to break it.

“Wait so…” she trailed off, leaning back, “How long has it been since you…?”

“Close to seven years,” Castiel offered weakly, closing his eyes, “And I haven’t left the Borderlands since I was a pup.”

Dean leaned in, wrapping his arm tightly around him and Castiel clung to the elder Winchester, gripping him tightly. The expression on his brother’s face was as protective and fierce as he’d ever seen it; the last time he’d borne witness to such worry was when Dean was trying to convince John to let Sam go to college.

The comparison made him uncomfortable, forced him to accept that whoever Castiel was, he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

“Dickbag forced Cas and the rest of ‘em to stay wolf,” Dean contributed in a gruff voice. “But it didn’t stop there.”

“Most of our pack,” Castiel visibly shuddered, pulling back from Dean’s hug, “Initially protested, but Michael is a powerful, dominant alpha. He soon had all of us submit, especially when a number of other dominant wolves backed him.”

“And then?” Charlie asked softly.

“Michael has a twin,” Castiel muttered, “Lucifer… he rebelled, wanted territory of his own. While he agreed that we should remain wolf, he wanted to be alpha, wanted Michael and the rest of us to bow down to him because he felt like he’d make a better leader.”

“They gave in to their animal instinct,” Amelia said quietly, “They forgot what it meant to be human.”

Castiel nodded. “Like any plain wolf, they fought. They didn’t look beyond their base instincts, they wanted only territory. I… I was a soldier in pack ranks, but…”

“There was a pack-rot,” Dean continued for him, “And nothin’ but confusion everywhere.”

“My littermate,” Castiel whispered, “Anael… Anna is her human name… Michael forced her to submit, to turn wolf and be his subordinate.”

The shifter was shaking, his voice terrified, and Dean pulled him close, resting his forehead atop Castiel’s, offering what comfort he could.

“What happened, Castiel?” Sam demanded and he swallowed hard.

“Michael… he began to lose territory to Lucifer,” he said. “He didn’t like that.”

“He came up with some kind of monstrous plan, didn’t he?” Charlie said, “The evil ones always do.”

Castiel offered her a watery smile, “Indeed,” he affirmed, “As shifters, we can serve as Familiars. And he decided that binding ourselves to witches would give us the power we’d need to take Lucifer down.”

Charlie’s brow furrowed in confusion, “But isn’t that Bond consensual between witch and Familiar? If both parties don’t consent, then wouldn’t it just backfire on them and kill ‘em both?”

“Would _you_ say no if your life was threatened by a wolf’s claws or teeth, Charlie?” Castiel asked softly. “Would you say no if a number of gigantic, two-hundred pound wild beasts held your loved ones captive until you said yes?”

Horrified silence fell over them as Sam swallowed hard.

“The-then…” he stammered.

“I escaped,” Castiel said, “Me and a few others… we decided to leave the pack, try to find help. But my littermates… they were all caught.”

Bitterness emanated from his entire countenance and his eyes were suspiciously bright.

“Not your fault, Cas,” Dean murmured again. Castiel didn't respond, but leaned into his touch as though it was the only thing keeping him upright.

“I ran,” he continued, “I ran like hell, I knew that the Witches Council were the only ones who could help us. So I escaped… and then, you hit me, Sam. you know the rest.”

For a long moment, no one said anything.

“I’m takin’ him, Sammy,” Dean finally stated. “To see the Council, I’m takin’ him.”

Sam didn’t know what to say.

“Dean,” Amelia’s voice held a note of warning. “They aren’t gonna take it lightly, you know that.”

Dean met her gaze squarely, “Yeah, I know,” he acknowledged. “But… we have to do this.”

The Witches Council were a bunch of tricky, snooty old bastards who wouldn’t do anything for free; meant to keep the peace between the supernatural world and the mortal, they more often than not traded in favors and secrets, even if they did maintain the balance.

Sam had had very few dealings with them himself, but he did remember John’s rage when they had refused to help him find Mary’s murderer. He’d almost gotten himself killed in the process of trying to convince them to help him; if not for the fact that Bobby had been a member of the Council at the time, Sam was sure his father would never have made it out of there alive.

Not all of the Council members were as nice as their pseudo-uncle had been.

“Alrighty, then,” Charlie broke the silence, “I’m comin’ with,” she announced.

Dean’s head whipped around to glare at her.

“Absolutely not,” he snapped, “You're barely three weeks into your training, there’s no way in hell-”

“Shut it, cowboy,” she snapped back. “You can’t expect me to stay back when you idiots go off adventuring on your own, I’m comin’ with-”

“Charlie, I much appreciate it,” Castiel interrupted, “But you’re only going to be a liability.” his voice was soft but firm and Charlie scowled, jumping to her feet.

“Liability _who_?” she snarled and Sam had to hold back a sigh.

“Charlie, sit down,” he snapped, “You know they’re right,” he threw up his hands in defeat as she turned on him next, scowl deepening.

“Look, kiddo,” Dean’s voice turned cajoling, “It’s not that I don't trust you to watch my back - I _do_ ,” he stressed as she glared at him, “But your training is nowhere close to being done and at this stage, you’ll be more of a hinderance than help and we need to get back to Cas’s pack as soon as we can. Plus…” he trailed off, hesitating, looking pointedly at her and Sam’s eyes narrowed at them. There was something Dean wasn’t saying.  

Charlie let out an angry huff before marching over to the elder Winchester and poking him in the chest with an angry finger.

“Then the two of you fuckin’ get back here in one piece, you got that?” she snapped, voice perilously close to tears and Dean nodded, expression going soft.

“We’ll be back soon, Red,” he murmured, pulling her in for a close hug. She clung to him, reaching across to grab Cas’s hand, to Sam’s surprise - seemed like she’d adopted the shifter as her own already.

His eyes met Dean’s over her the mop of her red head.

“Sam, no,” Dean began as Charlie pulled back, “You aren’t-”

“Oh yes, he _is_ ,” Amelia cut in, “And you aren’t gonna have your way this time, Dean.”

“Aimes, you can’t be serious, Sam isn’t a fucking witch!” his brother protested.

“But I am a damn good shot,” Sam interjected firmly, “And I am not lettin’ you go off half-cocked, on your own without any backup. Aimes can stay here with Charlie to man the clinic, but I’m goin’ with you.”

“And what about your damn law business?” Dean snapped, “You’re just gettin’ off the ground, takin’ off now is a bad idea-”

Sam shrugged, “It’ll keep,” he said, “This can’t.”

He may not be a witch like Dean, but he sure as hell wasn’t stupid or weak. John had trained his boys in both physical as well as magic arts; Sam hadn’t taken to the latter, but the former, he was no joke at and Dean well knew it.

“Sam,” Cas began, “I appreciate it, but-”

“No offense, _Castiel_ ,” he stressed on the shifter’s name, “I get that you and Dean are shacking up. But if you think, for one moment, that I’m gonna let my brother wander off the into the country with a strange wolf-man who claims to be his mate, then your ‘wolf’ instincts are off their rockers. Don't wolves get super territorial and protective of their packmates?”

For a brief moment, they locked eyes, challenging one another as Dean blinked in surprise, literally being the territory they were fighting for. Sam was the first to look away, unable to hold that knowing, icy gaze for too long but remaining firm in his conviction to keep his brother safe.

“I understand,” Castiel finally said. “I have no objections.”

“ _I_ do!” Dean snapped, “Sam, you can’t-”

“Oh shut it, Winchester,” Charlie interrupted, “It’d be easier to rewrite Harry Potter to make Hermione end up with the right guy than it is to convince your pigheaded brother to stay behind.”

“Considering how many times you’ve done that in fanfic, Charles,” Amelia snorted, “It doesn’t really count, does it?”

Charlie grinned back and Dean threw his hands up.

“I’m coming, Dean,” Sam met his brother’s gaze squarely, “This isn’t up for negotiation.”

“Fine,” he snorted, “But if you die, Samantha, I’mma kill your ass,” he glared at Sam who rolled his eyes.

Castiel watched them curiously, before Dean pulled him to his feet, cracking his knuckles.

“Alright then,” he said, “we’re off to bed. Gotta be up early tomorrow, we’re hittin’ the road at 8 a.m., Sammy!”

“Don’t stay up too long, boys,” Charlie grinned salaciously at them, “Reserve some energy for the road.”

Dean smirked back at her, “Can’t make any promises,” he winked at Castiel, who flushed a bright red. “Have you seen this stud?”

Sam groaned, “Gross, Dean,” he muttered. “I really don’t need the images.”

Amelia snorted from next to him, “But it’s hot,” she said innocently.

He turned to her incredulously, “Aimes!” he protested and she giggled.

“Your fiancée’s right, Sammy, can’t shut this down!” Dean walked his Familiar through the doors, calling out, “See you tomorrow, bitch!”

“Screw you, jerk!” Sam yelled at his disappearing back.

*-*-*

Dean dragged him out of the clinic and down the hallway that led up to a flight of stairs behind the building. Castiel followed without protest, inhaling the scent of his mate, reveling in the knowledge that he wasn’t alone any longer, that he’d found his mate.

“Dean?” he called, **_where exactly are we headed?_ **

The flush that climbed up the back of the witch’s neck was entirely too enticing. Castiel wanted to pull him close and rub himself all over his mate so that his scent would remain on his skin.

“Um…” he rubbed the back of his neck with his palm before grabbing Castiel’s hand and twining their fingers together. “My place?” he said sheepishly. “I live right above the clinic and we need a place to crash tonight so we can head out tomorrow and…”

“Are you inviting me to your home, Dean Winchester?” he asked in a low, rough tone, belly igniting at the thought of sharing territory with his mate.

Dean nodded, refusing to meet his eyes, even as his flush grew deeper.

 **_Not just my_ ** **home** **_, Cas,_ ** he smirked at Castiel, completely confident in his own sexuality and seduction as broad hips swayed in front of the wolf who growled and yanked him back, twirling him around with strong arms.

 **_Are you sure you want that?_ ** he muttered into Dean’s mind, **_I’m in no rush, Dean, I need you to be -_ **

**_I’m sure, idiot,_ ** Dean interrupted. **_You need to stop treating me like a delicate flower. I’m not a child._ **

Castiel blinked. **_My apologies, he answered, I just…_ **

Uncertainty colored their link and he sighed, pulling back. It had been barely _one_ day and he was already upsetting his mate, how could he -

 **_Okay, stop with the wallowing bullshit already,_ ** Dean cut off his internal self-recriminatory monologue. **_You’re not alone in this, Cas, we’re in it together, remember?_ **

He smiled thinly. **_Together,_ ** he repeated.

“So stop makin’ decisions for me, dude,” Dean said firmly, “I’m fucking thirty-six years old, I can decide if I want to fuck my mate or not.”

Castiel’s brain slammed to a stop at the image the witch projected across their link - of him, naked and sweating and panting beneath Castiel, clawing at the wolf’s back as he slammed into him again and again, holding him down as he teased at Dean’s skin with his teeth and fingers.

A low growl formed at the back of his throat and he crushed their mouths together, licking his mate’s bottom lip and devouring the hot taste of his tongue. He could feel the heat of Dean’s skin through the layers of the borrowed shirt he wore and the jacket and shirt Dean himself carried and he groaned as their hips rubbed together, the hardness poking in between them unmistakable.

“De-Dean,” he panted as the witch dragged him up the single flight of stairs, pausing every two steps to suck at Castiel’s skin and nip at his neck. “Dean, wait-”

“If you suggest anything other than fucking my brains out right now, Castiel,” it was Dean’s turn to growl, “So help me God, I _will_ end you.”

Gasping, Castiel bit into Dean’s neck, barely managing not to sink his teeth hard enough to break the skin; there’d be time enough for that later, when they were both ready for a full mating bond to take. For now, he sucked a bruise into the skin where the bite would eventually be, marveling at the way the blood rushed to the surface of his mate’s skin, marking him - at least temporarily - as his.

A flash of something whizzed across his mind as Dean fumbled with his keys, breathing hotly into Castiel’s mouth, palming his erection through the slim cotton pants he’d offered the wolf earlier on. The clothes were all his mate’s and Castiel could smell the scent of Dean - of leather and old oak - coming off of his own skin, and it was driving him crazy.

Dean was on him the moment they were both behind locked doors, pushing him to the wall and devouring his mouth as he grabbed at Castiel’s hands and held them tight against the cool wood.

“Want you,” he grunted, “Cas, I-” he gasped, cut off as Castiel pushed back, biting down on his lower lip and pinning their hips together as he pushed the jacket off of Dean’s shoulders.

He yanked at his own shirt, feeling the buttons give as he ripped it apart. His mate’s loud moan was an indicator of how much he loved the roughness, even as Castiel spun them around to reverse their positions so that _he_ was the one being held against the wall. He pulled at Dean’s shirt next, tearing it into two, feeling hot skin flex beneath his very human fingers.

Bending down, he pressed rough kisses to the witch’s sternum, staring curiously at the dark nipple that was hardening from Dean’s obvious arousal. He hadn’t had much chance to look at human forms since he’d spent all his time as a wolf; Dean was beautiful like this, flushed and aroused from his touch.

He wanted to make him forget that he’d ever been touched by anyone else.

With a low growl at the memory of another’s man’s sperm on his mate, Castiel bent down, blowing hot air around the nipple he’d been admiring. Dean groaned loudly, head falling back as a warm wetness surrounded the tiny bud, Castiel’s rough teeth pulling at it tautly, just this side of too rough. His cock throbbed, trapped within the confines of his damned jeans and he cursed, panting as Castiel curiously swiped his thumb across the other nipple, wondering if it would wring the same response out of his mate.

It did much more, for Dean growled and yanked the wolf’s mouth back to his own, licking into it as he palmed at Castiel’s ass.

“Bed,” he snarled, “Now.”

A quicksliver of a thought flashed across Castiel’s mind as Dean pushed against him, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the bedroom. He panted, throwing the confining pants off on the way, stopping to nibble at Dean’s neck and ears, reveling in his mate’s heady shudders.

“De-Dean,” he whispered as they stumbled into the bedroom, both of them finally naked. The feeling of Dean’s skin against his own, hot and sultry, was the most wonderful thing he’d ever felt; making a low, guttural sound at the back of his throat, he pushed the witch towards the bed, eyes darkening at the way in which he fell against the mattress, leg splaying open in blatant invitation.

Dean’s cock was rock hard and curving towards his belly, head purpling with the precome that dripped on to his skin, mixing with the sweat beading there. A soft trail of dark brown hair led down his stomach and the witch sighed as Castiel leaned over him, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips, running his hands down his side.

“Cas,” he groaned, “Goddamn it, man, get down here,” he made a grab for the wolf’s face, but Castiel dodged him, the sight of Dean’s beautiful form bringing back the thought from before.

“Dean,” he murmured. Dean.

 **_What?_ ** Dean’s voice was annoyed as he peered up at Castiel through hooded green eyes, almost blown black with arousal. **_If you don't fuck me right now, Cas, I swear -_ **

**_I_ ** **am** **_going to take you, Dean WInchester,_ ** Castiel interrupted, fisting Dean’s cock with long, skillful fingers. His mate arched into his touch, back lifting off the soft mattress as a loud keen ripped itself from his lips.

“Fu-fuck,” he moaned, “Fuck, Cas.”

 **_That’s the idea,_ ** Castiel muttered smugly, his inner wolf snarling with happiness at how well he was taking care of his mate. **_But Dean,_ ** he stopped, pulling back the slightest bit, **_there’s something you need to -_ **

“Dude, if you don’t knot me right the fuck now, I swear to God, I’m booting your ass out,” Dean growled.

Castiel’s mind screeched to a halt and he stared down at his mate incredulously. He wanted that, dear _God_ , he wanted it almost as much as he wanted to bite Dean and properly mate him, but he was  holding back because he was well aware that knotting was not part of human anatomy or sexuality. He’d not wanted to take Dean without warning him, without receiving his consent, but Dean, it seemed, was way ahead of him.

 **_Don't look so surprised, Cas,_ ** Dean snorted into his mind **_, I’ve shared your damn memories. And in case you forgot, I’m a_ ** **veterinarian** **_. Animal anatomy is kinda my thing, dude._ **

“So yo-you’re okay with-” Castiel stammered, awestruck.

Dean offered him a small smile, opening his arms to the shifter. **_I want you to fuck me full until your knot takes, do you get that, Castiel?_ ** he smirked.

With a loud snarl worthy of his lupine nature, Castiel crushed his mouth to Dean’s, restraint gone with the witch’s open consent. He was no longer sweet or gentle, giving into base instinct to _fuckbreedmate_ , the call of Dean’s scent too much to ignore. He flipped Dean onto his front, rubbing up against his back, his cock teasing the crease between firm asscheeks as he draped himself over his mate.

Dean moaned in response, bucking back against Castiel’s grip, panting. “Lube,” he grunted, in the drawer over there. He tilted his head towards the nightstand resting next to the bed, but Castiel shook his head, nibbling on the knobs of his spine in response.

 **_Not this time, Dean,_ ** he murmured and Dean twisted his head around to glare at him.

“Cas, if you don’t fuck me right the fuck now - _aaaahhh!_ ” his protest turned into a loud groan as Castiel pushed apart his cheeks to blow hot air on his hole.

 **_This first time, Dean,_ ** he continued, “I’m going to lick you open,” he bit the side of one asscheek and his mate groaned, clenching in anticipation, “And leave my mark on you.”

He yanked Dean’s cheeks open, baring the witch to his gaze. Dean squirmed, uncomfortable, and a flash of vulnerability lit their open link red once, twice, but his mate didn’t shy away from his touch even if he did stiffen. Castiel’s tongue darted out to scent the sudden discomfort mingling with the arousal in the air.

 **_Then_ ** **get** **_to it,_ ** **Castiel** **_,_ ** Dean groaned, and before he could say anything else, a hot, wet tongue was licking up his ass, even as strong hands held him open. Castiel hummed against Dean’s skin as he went to _town_ with that tongue; licking in and around his hole without any hesitation until Dean could feel the spit rolling down the insides of his thigh.

“Ca-Cas,” he moaned, bucking his hips into Castiel’s face. The shifter hummed, the vibrations shooting up his skin and Dean’s eyes clenched shut in pleasure, flush spreading down his chest at his mate’s ministrations.

Castiel pushed the tip of his tongue into his mate’s hole, inner wolf snarling at the claim he was leaving on his skin. Dean wiggled against him as he pulled back, encircling his wet entrance with the tip of his finger, turning his face to bite at his other asscheek and plunging his finger in at the exact same time.

“Fuck, Cas!” Dean cursed, reaching down to fist his own cock. Castiel pushed his hand away, growling in response.

“No, Dean,” he said firmly, “Don’t touch yourself.” **_You’re_ ** **mine** **_to pleasure._ **

He dove back in, fucking his tongue in and out of Dean’s hole, using his hands to stroke at his balls in a counter rhythm that had his mate panting for breath and his toes curling.

“Cas, please,” Dean begged, “Please, Cas, just-” **_get in me_ ** , “fuck me,” **_now, Cas -_ **

“I’ve got you, Dean,” Castiel murmured in response. Pulling back, he moved up Dean’s body, pausing to nibble at the small of his back and then his shoulders before draping himself over his mate, teasing him with the tip of his cock brushing against his hole.

“Then _fuck_ me,” Dean snapped, **_now, Cas._ **

He plunged three fingers in to the witch’s hole, checking to see that he was prepared enough to take him. Castiel wasn’t small by any means, though Dean was thicker and shorter than he was; his cock was longer, the bulbous end of it beginning to grow as his knot swelled up in anticipation of being inside his mate. He wanted to pleasure his mate, claim him, but he didn’t want Dean to hurt while doing it.

Dean grunted as his fingers brushed against his prostate and Castiel bent down to lick a drop of sweat away from his neck, scenting him and letting out a pleased growl at the pure need that his mate was vibrating with. Deeming that he was open enough to take him, the shifter paused one last time, breathing in deeply, his aching cock snuggled tight between Dean’s cheeks as he hesitated.

 **_You’re certain?_ ** he asked quietly, **_we’ll be tied for the next hour or so, you -_ **

Dean snarled, flipping them over instantly so Castiel was on his back, startled to see him looming over him. He opened his mouth to protest, but before he could say anything, Dean impaled himself on his cock, and abruptly, Castiel was right _there_.

He could no less control the cry of ecstasy that escaped him than he could resist fucking up into his mate; Dean was tight and hot around him, clenching around his long cock as he bounced against Castiel’s knees.

 **_You talk too much,_ ** Dean grunted as placed two sweaty palms against Castiel’s bare chest, thumbs tweaking sensitive nipples, ready and willing to ride him. “I told you I wanted this,” he said, “Stop treating me like china and fuck me like you mean it, _Castiel_.”

The challenge in his voice was clear, Dean’s skin flushed red with his arousal as the wetness of his precome dripped against Castiel’s belly. With a pleased snarl, the wolf gripped at Dean’s hips, yanking him back down on his cock, air fresh with the stink of sex and sweat.

 **_If that’s what you want, Dean,_ ** he answered, pulling out. Dean whined at the feeling of him sliding out, but before he could protest, Castiel had them flipped over again, pushing Dean to his knees and grabbing at his neck to hold him down.

Their link flashed a bright gold behind his eyes, letting him know just how much the veterinarian liked being dominated like this; his inner wolf growled at its mate’s willing submission even as the witch canted his hips back in open invitation, presenting to him without shame.

His mate wanted to be _fucked_. And Castiel could do no less than give him what he wanted.

He snapped his hips to Dean’s, slamming into him with all the roughness his base instinct demanded. His knot was growing even as pleasure sparked up his spine, the sound of skin slapping against skin echoing loudly within the otherwise silent room, only broken by their harsh pants.

Moving back on his heels, Castiel planted them tightly on the bed, sitting up on his thighs. Dean bounced on his lap, back to Castiel’s front, riding his cock. Garbled moans and incoherent words fell from his mouth as the wolf snaked his hands in front to stroke his member in a rhythm that was purposefully opposite to the way he moved his hips in a circular motion inside of Dean, grinding hard against his prostate.

 **_Fuck, Cas,_ ** “yes, baby, fu-” **_fuck, god, Cas,_ ** “Cas,” **_Cas -_ **

Good. _His_ name should be the only name falling out of Dean’s lips, his scent the only smell that should emanate from his mate’s skin.

Dean would forget that he’d ever been with anyone else.

Snarling, he bit down on the vet’s neck, only barely managing - again - not to break skin. Moving his hand from Dean’s cock, he raised it to his mate’s lips and Dean opened willingly, licking off his own precome from Castiel’s hands. The wolf yanked his face towards his own, chasing the taste of Dean across his tongue as he crushed their mouths together, pulling out slightly before slamming back in.

“Cas!”

The pleasure burst across their open mental link in a flash of blinding white as Dean spurted across Castiel’s hand where it fisted his dick, coming harder and hotter than he ever had before. He clenched around the wolf’s hard member, rubbing back against him despite the oversensitivity and leaned up to kiss his mate hungrily.

 **_Come for me babe,_ ** he smirked at Castiel’s groan as he clenched again, purposefully this time, pulling him closer and wrapping his arms around his neck so that his entire torso was upraised. Yelping at the sudden pressure, Castiel pinched at Dean’s hard nipples, yanking another loud groan out of his mate as his knot swelled up fully, orgasm punched out of him in a breath. Their link turned blinding white with pleasure a second time, a feedback loop of sex and warmth that lit them both from the inside out.

They fell to the bed in a tangle of limbs, tied and sweaty, their angle awkward enough that it tugged at Castiel’s knot, pulling come from him. He  panted against Dean’s neck, groaning as the witch rearranged them to be more comfortable, Castiel spooning him from behind as he used the wolf’s arm as a pillow.

Silence reigned for a moment, only broken by their harsh pants as they waited for their heartbeats to slow and their sweat to cool.

“Well,” Dean sighed, twisting slightly to meet Castiel’s affectionate gfaze.

“Hello Dean,” he answered and received a grin in response.

 **_Dork,_ ** Dean said fondly into his mind.

Castiel smiled, nuzzling into his neck and twining their fingers together. He paused, looking down at Dean’s face with a look of worry. **_I performed adequately?_ ** he asked softly, letting his vulnerability show. He’d only ever mated twice before, both in wolf forms, so this… this human mating was entirely new.

Dean snorted, clenching around Castiel’s knot; for a moment, the wolf saw stars as a fresh load of come was dragged out of him, filling Dean’s clenching channel with his seed. It wouldn’t ever take, but Castiel’s inner wolf couldn’t help but snarl in happiness at the thought of the claim he’d laid on his mate.

“You blew my mind, Cas,” Dean’s words were rough and snarky, but the affection and warmth in his tone soothed the insecurity he was feeling and Castiel sighed, resting his head against his mate’s warmth, rubbing a thumb over the back of Dean’s hand over his stomach.

For a long moment, they were both quiet before Dean broke the silence with the question that had been burning at the back of his mind since the moment they’d met.

**_So when are we sealing the deal?_ **

Castiel blinked. “Sealing… the deal?” he asked, unfamiliar with the terminology.

 **_You’re my mate, Cas,_ ** Dean’s voice was uncertain. That he was not saying it out loud, that he was whispering the words into Castiel’s mind, told the shifter that it was a vulnerability the vet wasn’t quite willing to display openly. **_When are we making it official?_ ** He twisted again in Castiel’s arms to meet his eyes and understanding flooded him.

 **_You want me to mate you,_ ** Castiel stated, hands stiffening against Dean’s skin as he huffed and nodded in response.

“Yeah,” he muttered, “Can’t let The One get away when I find him, right?” he joked, but there was a hidden pain behind his words, a hidden ache that his mind laid open to Castiel even if he couldn’t say it outright.

Dean was afraid of being left behind. After Mary’s death, John had thrown himself into finding her killer, ignoring his son who’d made it his life’s duty to raise Sam in his father’s place. And then, Sam had left him behind for college for a better life. Dean wasn’t bitter, but the fear of abandonment lay fraught in his mind, the driving force behind the failed relationships and the one-night stands he could leave behind before they left him.

 **_Oh love,_ ** Castiel sighed into his mind, not quite realizing what he’d just said.

Dean stiffened, turning away and Castiel’s breath hitched as his brain finally caught up to his mouth. He didn't say anything else, didn’t take it back, because it _was_ the truth - he’d known Dean for all of twenty-four hours, but he’d lived his memories with him, relived everything that made Dean _Dean_ , and he loved him.

He _loved_ his mate.

The thought floated across their open link and Dean made a strangled noise, yanking Castiel’s arms tighter around himself and burrowing into his skin, as though wanting to bury himself there, terrified that he was going to change his mind, take away the sudden - but apparently not unwelcome - admission that the wolf had just made.

 **_Love?_ ** His voice was tremulous but Castiel nodded against his skin, sandpaper stubble rasping against his neck.

 **_I do love you,_ ** he murmured. Before Dean could respond, he continued, **_and I_ ** **will** **_mate you._ ** He pressed a short, chaste kiss to his lips, **_but_ ** **only** **_when you’re ready._ **

Despite the impatience Dean was showing, he wasn’t ready. This was a lifelong commitment, and although they’d had sex, they were still processing - it was too fast, too soon. He wanted nothing more than to bite down on Dean’s neck, to taste the blood and lick it away, to mount him and claim him and _keep_ him, but…

They both needed time.

Dean sighed in response, nuzzling his cheek into Castiel’s palms, kissing it softly.

 **_Yeah,_ ** he said. **_I feel the same_ ** , he muttered, looking back at Castiel, green eyes wide and worried.

It took a moment for Castiel to grasp what he was saying.

 _Dean_ loved him too. He couldn’t say the words, not yet, but his mate _loved_ him. Grinning widely, he bent down to  kiss him, nuzzling into his touch.

They both fell asleep like that, tied together.

*-*-*

Although Castiel wanted to head out as early as they could in the morning, Dean refused to go anywhere until he’d gotten his Baby fixed up. Sam had suggested they make a Portal to the Council, who were located at the heart of the country, but the elder Winchester had shot him down instantly, claiming that ‘flying’ made him queasy.

“It’s going to take over three days to drive there, Dean,” Sam protested, “Not to mention it’s gonna take you all day to get the Impala fixed up!”

Dean fixed him with an annoyed glare. “And who’s fault is that?” he snapped. Sam lowered his eyes sheepishly.

“Well it got you your mate,” he snarked back and Dean just shook his head.

“I don’t like it, but I can use magic to get her ready,” he said, “Especially if,” he turned to Castiel who was watching them quietly, “if you’ll help, Cas?”

The shifter nodded, “Of course, Dean,” he answered. “That’s what familiars do, don’t they?”

“See, Sam?” Dean smirked, “Get your stuff, we can head out in a bit.”

Sam sighed, resigned to his brother’s stubborn nature, but his mate turned to Castiel and dropped a kiss on his forehead before walking back to his desk to pick his phone up.

 **_Truth is,_ ** he muttered, **_we could make a Portal to the Council, I’m strong enough, especially if you help._ **

Castiel blinked at the admission. It seemed Dean was trusting him with information he wouldn't share with Sam. He refused to look up or meet Castiel’s eyes, instead shuffling with his phone, fingers tapping away at the screen idly even as Sam turned to leave.

 **_Dean_ ** **?** he asked softly.

Clearing his throat, the witch simply looked up and sighed. **_I just… I want…_ ** he peered at Castiel through half-lidded eyes, features distinctly uncomfortable and discomfited. **_Do we have to get there by today?_ **

Understanding flashed and Castiel smiled, shaking his head. **_Not instantly, no,_ ** he replied. Dean wanted to spend more time with him, wanted him and Sam to get to know one another, given that they were both now permanent fixtures in his life.

But the sense of responsibility he carried wouldn't let him admit it openly; if Castiel asked, he’d set his discomfort aside and make the Portal right then and there. Innocent lives were at stake - Michael could order any one of his wolves to capture a fellow witch and force him to Bond with them. And a Bond between Witch and Familiar could never be broken, given that their very souls twined together.

 **_No, Dean,_ ** Castiel whispered, **_Michael won’t be able to convince a witch to give up their freedom so very easily. When I fled, he was still trying to find witches who might join him, without coercion. Shifter wolves are strong, yes, but we are few in number and no doubt any witch he tried to force would retaliate in some manner or the other._ **

Their small numbers were what got them into trouble in the first place; Michael had been able to dominate their pack easily, given them most of the fifty or so odd wolves were mostly betas, looking for a strong leader. With dominants like Zachariah, Naomi, Uriel and Lucifer backing him, becoming pack alpha had not been much of a challenge. Castiel had joined him too, at the beginning; when he’d been born, the pack was just rearranging itself after their alpha had vanished, and Michael’s leadership had been the answer they’d all been searching for.

If only they knew how wrong those answers were going to turn out to be…

“Cas?”

Dean’s anxious voice broke through Castiel’s train of thought and he turned to his mate, taking a deep breath.

“No, Dean,” he answered his question, “We can take your car, but…” he hesitated and then continued, “We will need to be careful. Michael may not know where I am, but he _does_ know that I fled his pack. It isn’t a big leap to assume that I’d approach the Council after that, given how much I protested his actions.”

Anael had let him go, but Castiel had no doubt that Michael was still searching for him, was still attempting to bring him back and submit - or kill him. He kept the last bit to himself, refusing to let the thought float across their link; he was already burdening his mate enough,  he didn't want to add to his worries any further.

Dean nodded. “Great,” he said, setting his phone down and cracking his knuckles, “Let’s go get Baby fixed then!”

He stretched, throwing his arms up above his head until his back gave a satisfying crunch. Castiel watched, enraptured, as his t-shirt rode up to reveal the soft trail of hair leading down his belly and into his pants; he licked his lips, the memory of  licking through that trail fresh in his mind.

God, but his mate was _beautiful_.

Dean caught his gaze, flushing, but smirked back at him. **_Dude, stop thinking about fucking,_ ** he stated, **_and get your ass in gear._ **

Castiel snorted in response, but dutifully stood from where he was seated on the other side of Dean’s desk, following him to the parking lot where the Impala stood next to Sam’s Charger. For the first time, the shifter was able to see the damage he’d done to his mate’s beloved car, guilt flashing through him.

“Cas,” Dean said firmly, catching the feeling as it flashed grey behind their eyes. “Are you kiddin’ me? It wasn’t your fault, man.”

Castiel swallowed; the headlight was busted and the side door was banged up. Dean would have to buff it out and repaint it. He knew very  little about cars, but magic he understood - the car _reeked_ , both physically and emotionally, of his mate and his power. It was going to take time and effort to get her back into shape and he couldn't help but feel like it was his fault.

 **_Cas,_ ** Dean rolled his eyes, **_I love Baby, I do. But I wouldn’t change what happened; Sammy got one thing right, it was the accident that got you to me._ **

“Besides,” he continued out loud, “It was more the moose’s fault than yours anyway, so stop your wallowin’ and help me fix her up for the journey. I’ll spend some time in Jody’s Auto Shop later to rebuild her.”

“As you wish,” Castiel sighed. “What can I do?”

“Lend me your power,” Dean answered. “Just keep your mind open to me and don’t resist when I start drawin’ from you.”

Castiel nodded, **_Do I need to shift forms?_ ** he asked softly. He was aware, in theory, of how the Bond between Witch and Familiar worked, but he’d never seen magic performed in synchrony before and he wasn’t too sure what Dean would need from him.

Dean shrugged. **_I’m not sure,_ ** he said, **_I’ve never seen it either. Far as I know, it should work with you in human form as well,_ ** he frowned, **_but…_ ** It wasn’t surprising that his witch also didn't know, given that most of his training had been carried out by a revenge-obsessed father who was more concerned with teaching him to kill monsters than he was the intricacies of magic.

“Why don’t you stay human while I try this out?” he suggested, “If it don’t work, you can Shift, but for now, don’t bother.”

Castiel nodded, moving back to give Dean the room to work his spell. His mate pursed his lips, leaning over the car and running his hand over her gleaming hood. His touch was gentle, tender almost, and the wolf felt a smile tug at his lips at the fond treatment the car was receiving - Dean’s love for her was a palpable, warm sensation he could taste in the air.

“Obsessed, isn’t he?”

Others would have jumped at Sam’s sudden voice behind him, but Castiel simply turned to tilt his head at the younger Winchester. Being a shifter meant  that sneaking up on him was a hard thing to do; he’d heard Sam’s footsteps pad against the gravel even before the man had appeared, his scent giving him away clearly.

“Devoted,” Castiel retorted, defending his mate’s love of his car, “Not obsessed.”

Sam’s eyebrow climbed his forehead and he smirked.

“Huh,” he said, a glint in his eye. Castiel was shifter who had a predatory animal form; he knew a challenge when he saw it. Sam was trying to make sure that his brother was not going to get hurt - he was defending his pack the way Castiel would fight for his.

“I’m not going to _hurt_ your brother, Sam,” he said abruptly. Sam straightened up, expression closing off.

“And how can I take you at your word, Castiel?” he demanded. “I only know you as the wolf I almost killed, and the next day, my best friend calls to tell me that the beast we saved jumped on my brother and knocked him unconscious. I panic, race home, only to find the same wolf claiming my brother as a _mate_.”

He paused, looking back to where Dean was murmuring under his breath, bending down to draw the runes he’d need on the ground. The chalk lines he was making were white, glinting in the bright sunlight, and Castiel sighed as Sam turned back to him with a glare.

“So you can see how I don't trust you completely,” hne finished and the wolf nodded.

“I do,” he replied. “Perhaps more than you can possibly understand… wolves, we have close bonds of kinship with our own. Animal instinct is…” he hesitated, “well, _strong_. And I understand wanting to keep your brother safe.”

He trailed off, watching as Dean straightened up, waving his hands over the Impala, rubbing her headlight fondly before stepping back, ready to cast his spell.

“I get that it will take time for me to earn your trust, Sam,” he said quietly, “But if you love your brother as I do, then you will trust _him_.”

Before Sam could answer, his expression dumbstruck, Castiel moved forward, walking purposefully towards where Dean was gesturing for him to take his place.

“Ready babe?” his mate asked and Castiel nodded, humming his affirmation.

**_Indeed._ **

Dean dropped a quick kiss to his cheek and grabbed his hand, using the other to point at the Impala’s busted headlight, murmuring under his breath.

“Fixum!” he snapped and his hands glowed green as the runes on the ground around the Impala lit up.

Castiel felt the wave of magic give before it actually happened; he pushed Dean out of the way as the headlights on the Impala _burst_ , smoke hissing out the engine even as the doors banged against hinges, the horn blaring.

“Mother _fucker_!”

Dean fell to the ground as the wolf jumped in front of him instinctively, shielding his mate with his own body. The bleeping of the car’s horn grew and distantly, Castiel could hear Sam yell their names, concerned.

“Cas!” Dean yanked at his arm, pulling him out of the circle of runes that surrounded the Impala, cutting off the flow of magic.

Castiel blinked, feeling the power ebb away as the Impala continued to act like it was possessed, the horn blaring, engine hissing and the doors banging away against the metal frame. Dean sighed, ignoring the racket as Sam jogged up to them, expression worried.

“Dean, what the-?” he exclaimed, “Since when does the _Impala_ react to you like that?”

“It’s my fault, Sam,” Castiel muttered before Dean could answer. “Since Dean now has a Familiar, the Impala no longer centers his magic, but for some reason, I am unable to help him focus his power.”

“Forget that,” Dean huffed, “You hurt, Cas?”

He anxiously checked Castiel over and the wolf smiled at his mate’s concern.

“I am fine, Dean,” he reassured the witch. “Maybe a Shift…?”

Dean paused, sighing, before he nodded. “Yeah,” he agreed, “Looks like I need a wolf instead of a human, after all.”

“Step back, Sam,” Castiel advised before breathing in deeply, stretching out until he could feel his back pop. Closing his eyes, he let the magic buzzing below his skin come to the surface, imagining the feel of the forest floor beneath his feet, the call of the full moon and the pull of the jungle -

Sam’s eyes widened at the great white wolf standing before him. He’d known intellectually, of course, that the strange man his brother was shacking up with was the wolf he’d hit, but he hadn’t fully believed it until now. The beast’s eyes were the same clear blue as Castiel’s and Dean smirked at him before leaning down to offer the creature his hand.

“Shut your mouth, Sammy,” he said, “You’re gonna catch flies.”

Sam glared at his brother but Dean ignored him in favor of rubbing his mate’s muzzle. Castiel nuzzled into his touch, scenting him carefully as the witch drew him back into the circle of runes, pointing to the Impala.

“Ready?” he asked a second time and Castiel offered him a low growl of affirmation, stepping forward.

He knew it was going to work even before Dean cast the spell; magic was meant to be worked in _harmony_ and like this - as human and animal, as Witch and Familiar - their minds were in perfect sync, open to one another and yet distinctly their own, as Castiel guided the flow of Dean’s magic towards the still-noisy Impala.

Silence fell as the green glow flashed blue once, twice, thrice and the Impala fixed itself. Matter could neither be created nor destroyed, but it could change form - the doors buffed right out on their own and the pieces of glass that Dean had carefully placed around the busted headlight flew into the car’s front, attaching themselves neatly in order, patching into place.

It wasn’t perfect - parts would have to be replaced and righted. But it was a workable fit that would last them through the trip.

Sam whistled as the magic faded, leaving before them a relatively fixed-up Impala. Castiel sagged against Dean in exhaustion as the witch caught him tightly, inhaling the pure wild scent that emanated from his fur. The shifter was still healing from his injuries and working magic like this had tired him out, though he still nuzzled into Dean’s neck, scenting him.

“Woah, _dude_ ,” the younger Winchester offered, “That was… that was something else.”

“Yeah,” Dean muttered, “If this dumbass hadn’t overexerted himself.”

He glared down at Castiel who simply whined, placing his paws over his eyes in apology. Dean snorted, rubbing at his head, shaking his head.

“Yeah, no,” he said, “Show that to someone who doesn’t know you like I do.”

A pink tongue darted out to lick at Dean’s face and the witch chuckled, pushing back lightly. “Alright, alright,” he said, “Get inside the damn car. We need to hit the road.”

Sam, having watched them quietly so far, turned to grab their bags which he’d brought out while they were working the spell. Charlie was going to man the clinic with Amelia for the next week, until they got back and he’d handed over control of his fledgling firm to Kevin, who, for all his young age, was quite capable  of handling things on his own for a few days.

Dean opened the backseat of the Impala and Castiel, still in wolf form, padded over lightly to the side without any visible prompting on his brother’s prompt. Sam watched with growing curiosity as the elder Winchester nuzzled his mate a second time before the shifter jumped into the car, settling carefully on the leather seats, tongue poking out to taste the new scents in the air.

This was so weird; Sam still couldn’t quite connect the wolf to the man he’d met. The wolf behaved like a wolf and while he hadn’t spent more than a few hours in the man’s company, the lawyer found it hard to reconcile the two images in his head.

“This is so _strange_ , man,” he voiced it out to  Dean as they loaded the bags  into the Impala’s trunks. There were just two of them;  a lifetime of chasing their mother’s killer and living out of motels meant that they knew how to pack light. And Castiel had no possessions of his own.

“You’re tellin’ me,” Dean muttered in response. Sam raised an eyebrow at him - since the moment he’d introduced Castiel, Dean had been insistent that he wanted this. It was good to see that his usually emotionally stunted brother wasn’t taking this completely in stride.

“But it _is_ what it is, Sam,” there was note of finality and warning in his tone and Sam took the hint for what it was.

“Okay Dean,” he sighed, “Okay.”

There was a pause before Dean smacked his shoulder.

“Thanks Sammy,” he murmured, eyed moving over to where Castiel was falling asleep in the backseat. Walking over to the side of the Impala, he gestured for Sam to take his usual shotgun seat and with a jolt, the younger Winchester realized that that seat was still _his_.

Dean had a mate - a husband for all intents and purposes - but that didn't mean he was leaving his brother behind.

An anxiety he didn't even know he was carrying eased within Sam as he walked to the side, yanking the door open.

“Get in bitch, you’re burning daylight,” Dean called and Sam snorted.

“Shut up, jerk,” he muttered as he slid into the passenger. “You’re the one fucking your mate late into the night.”

Dean grinned widely, “And oh, what a night that was!” he taunted and Sam winced.

“Gross, Dean,” he snapped and with a loud laugh, Dean revved up the engine.

It wasn’t until hours later that he called to his mate, who’d fallen asleep.

**_Cas?_ **

Dean’s voice echoed lightly in his head and Castiel growled low as his eyes fluttered open. He stretched his spine, whining when the limited space of the Impala’s back seat restricted his movement, his blunt claws digging into the leather seats.

 **_Babe, you’re gonna ruin Baby’s backseats,_ ** Dean sighed, meeting his eyes in the rearview mirrors. Castiel lowered his head in acquiescence, stretching his paws out so that they hung off the edge of the seats to minimize the damage.

 **_I’m sorry, Dean,_ ** he murmured, opening his mouth in a loud yawn. His entire side ached from the injuries he’d suffered, and he was still tired from the magic, but he didn’t quite feel like slipping back into sleep, preferring to watch his mate instead.

“We’ll be stopping for the night soon, Cas,” Dean said out loud for the benefit of Sam who was watching them curiously from the passenger seat.

“He’s awake,” Sam asked, brow furrowed and Castiel growled in annoyance.

“He can hear you, Sam,” Dean rolled his eyes, projecting his wolf’s irritation to his brother. “He maybe in beast form, but he in’t stupid.”

Sam flushed, twisting around in his seat to meet the shifter’s sharp eyes. “Sorry, Cas,” he murmured and Castiel tilted his head in acceptance.

 **_He called you_ ** **Cas** **_,_ ** Dean sounded surprised. There was a strange elation in his tone and Castiel’s tongue darted out to taste the scents in the air; he could smell a warmth radiating from his mate that lit a fire in his own belly.

 **_Perhaps he is beginning to accept our relationship,_ ** he offered. Dean grinned, focusing his attention outward as they pulled up at a motel, their link lighting up a warm red from the happy feelings he was broadcasting.

“Uh, Dean?” Sam called as his brother pulled the Impala into park at the motel’s parking lot. The elder Winchester barely spared him a glance as he grunted in question.

“Cas,” he turned to the wolf at the back, “Cas, you may wanna Shift back to your human form… I don’t think the motel manager will be very happy about a wolf following us into our rooms.”

Dean nodded, “Yeah, forgot about that,” he said, “Thanks, Sammy.”

 **_Didn't the mortal authorities question you about driving with a wild animal in your backseat?_ ** Castiel asked as he moved into a more comfortable position, getting ready to Shift.

Dean winced as his claws dragged over the Impala’s seats, but he didn’t say anything. **_Baby has privacy charms set up so nobody’s seein’ anythin’ inside that we don’t want ‘em to,_ ** he replied instead. Embarrassment floated across their link, even as the witch flushed red and Sam groaned in response as his brother caught his blush.

“Dude, don't do the mental talk, it’s creepy!” he protested and Dean rolled his eyes at me.

“Don't bitch, bitch,” he smirked, “Just because your sex life is on hold, it don’t mean that mine has to be!”

Sam made a patented bitchface, “I wasn’t even thinking of that, thank you very much.”

The memory of Dean, fucking a random woman at the back of the Impala, on the very seat that Castiel was lying on offered itself to the wolf and he growled possessively, both aroused and irritated at the sight behind his eyes.

 **_Down boy,_ ** Dean snorted, **_it was years ago. But uh…_ ** he shifted uneasily as he stopped the car, **_It’s why Baby has the privacy charms set up on her._ **

Castiel caught on to what he wasn’t saying; Dean wanted a repeat of that memory, only this time, it’d be his mate underneath him, clawing at his back and kissing him repeatedly. The image was all too tantalizing and he felt his nether regions stir in response.

“Guys!” Sam’s voice was annoyed, snapping the fantasy and Dean groaned as he yanked the door open, striding out.

 **_Damn cockblock of a brother,_ ** he muttered and Castiel rowled in agreement as he called the magic beneath his skin and pushed the Shift. A painful moment and some bone-crunching later, he sat naked in the backseat and Sam, who’d been watching the transformation in a fascinated manner, yelped, covering his eyes instantly.

“Dude, gimme some warning!” he cried and Castiel snorted.

“If I had access to your mind, perhaps,” he said mildly, “But how do you suggest I talk to you as a wolf, Sam?”

The younger Winchester groaned, kicking the door of the Impala open and jumping out. “You guys are so weird,” he muttered under his breath. Dean laughed at him from across the car, already opening the trunk to pull out a pair of pants and a shirt for his mate, who took it and closed the door to get dressed quickly.

They made their way into the motel, quickly booking two rooms for themselves. Sam made a face when Dean offered to share, quickly opting for two rooms.

“Why, so I can hear you get it on in the bed next to me?” he snarked, “Yeah, not happening. Get your own room, jerk.”

Dean smirked in response, privately glad that Sam didn’t want to share. Castiel could sense his exhaustion - fixing up the Impala had taken as much out of him as it had the wolf. It wasn’t sex his mate had on his mind, it was comfort and intimacy that he’d never quite be able to put words to.

Sighing quietly, Castiel wrapped an arm around the witch’s waist, drawing closer to him and nuzzling into his shoulder. Dean dropped a quick kiss to his temple, turning to the motel manager who was glaring at them, gritting his teeth.

“Are you sure you’d like two _singles_ , sir?” he asked, a warning tone in his voice. Sam turned around from where he was pressing down on his phone’s screen, annoyance flashing on his face before he schooled his expression into one of calm.

Dean dropped Castiel’s hands, pulling away, closing the link between their minds partially.

 **_Dean, what-?_ ** Castiel asked, confused. The witch’s eyes narrowed in response to the manager, ignoring the shifter as he held his hand out for the keys.

“Yes,” he said shortly, “I asked for two rooms, _singles_. With one bed each.”

His entire form was tight, spine ramrod straight, as he glared down the manager who simply yanked the keys out of his desk drawer and dropped them into Dean’s open hand as though they were burning him.

“Have a nice stay, sir,” he spat at them and Sam moved forward, grabbing his brother’s arm as Dean opened his mouth to curse.

“Thanks,” he snapped at the manager, catching Castiel's arm as well and pulling them both down the corridor towards their rooms.

“Fucking homophobic douche,” Dean muttered under his breath and Castiel breathed in deeply, trying to soothe his mate’s sudden turbulent state.

“Homophobic…?” he trailed off, raising an eyebrow in confusion. Dean shot him an inscrutable look, refusing to meet his probing gaze or open their link up fully. He caught flashes of guilt, embarrassment and anger passing through it, but it was fleeting, Dean’s mind more closed off than it had been since they met.

It hurt more than Castiel expected it to.

“Dean?” he called, but the witch just shook his head, marching on ahead, footsteps echoing loudly in the silence that followed them. Sam sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose with his fingers and Castiel turned to him, worried.

“Cas,” Sam sighed, “Human beings aren’t always…”

“Sam, what’s going on?” he demanded, “Dean’s closing his mind to my own, what just happened?”

“Not everyone is accepting of same-sex couples, Cas,” the younger Winchester offered tiredly. “Dean…. It took him a long time to accept his bisexuality, especially with a dad like ours.”

Another memory rose up and offered itself to Castiel - of Dean, yelling at his dad that he liked girls and boys, that dad had no right to tell him whom he could date, and if he wanted to get fucked by Benny, then he damn well was going to.

_I didn't raise no bitch, Dean!_

The echo of his mate’s father’s voice in his brain made Castiel wince; human beings were so strange, refusing the love of a mate simply because they felt it to be different from what they were used to. As animal, instinct was to mate and to breed, to continue the species. And yet, it seemed the shifters were more accepting of love than the humans, who were driven by more than base instinct, who had blessed with the ability to love and to live and yet fought wars instead.

It seemed  he had much to learn, both about his mate and the world he inhabited. They had shared memories, but Castiel didn't truly understand Dean, not yet.

_They were right to hold off their mating._

Sighing, he nodded at Sam, moving in the direction that Dean had disappeared.

“Cas,” Sam caught his arm. “Wait, you-”

“Dean needs me, Sam,” he said through gritted teeth; from the link, he could feel a trace echo of an old ache, an angry young boy’s quiet abandonment and loss. He met Sam’s eyes squarely, refusing to back down.

Dean was his _mate_ ; Sam may be his brother, but the witch would never admit to what he viewed as his weakness to the child he’d practically raised, no matter how close they were. Castiel didn't need Sam’s permission to love him, even if he sought his approval.

Sam seemed to understand; his expression was strangely relieved as he let go of the shifter’s hands and nodded towards the room into which Dean had vanished.

“Yeah, I know,” he said quietly. “Take care of him.”

Tilting his head in acquiescence, Castiel turned his back deliberately and marched on ahead, throwing the door open and closing it behind him.

Sam watched him go in silence, sighing before he continued on to his own room, yanking his phone out to continue the call with his fiancee which he’d cut short in the lobby.

“Hey stranger,” she chuckled as she answered on the first ring.

“Hey,” he let out a long breath, closing the door to his own room and throwing his bags across the floor as he fell on to the bed.

“You alright there?” she asked, quickly discerning the discomfort in his tone. He frowned, filling her in on what had just happened. Amelia cursed at all the right places, voice softening as she inquired after Dean.

“Cas… Cas is taking care of him, I think,” he answered and she hummed.

“Cas?” she murmured and Sam flushed.

“He isn't bad, Aimes,” he muttered, “Seems to really care about Dean.”

It was her turn to sigh, “If you say so, Sam,” she said. “Even if this is… well, weird as fuck.”

“So you’ve said,” he grinned weakly, “Repeatedly.”

The conversation moved on to other things, Amelia updating him on what she and Charlie had been up to the whole day. When they finally hung up, it was over an hour later, Sam smiling softly at her _I love you, be safe,_ before he turned into bed, closing his eyes.

The ringing of his alarm early in the morning woke him up and Sam frowned, yawning as he sat up, eyeing his screen blearily. He hadn’t expected to sleep as well as he had; sharing a room with Dean through his teen years had taught him that his brother could go at it all night and he was _loud_. He’d been expecting to thump the wall and ask them to keep it down - strangely he hadn’t heard a single noise out of them all night.

Quickly brushing his teeth, he walked out of the room, knocking on their door.

“Dean?” he called, rapping his knuckles against the wood firmly. “Dean, open up man!”

There was no response.

Scowling, he knocked again, calling out, “Dean! Cas, come on guys, you can canoodle in the car, we need to hit the road!”

Silence greeted him.

Gut tightening with worry, he turned the knob, staring at it in surprise when it gave easily, door swinging open. He marched in, protest dying on his lips when he caught sight of the unmade bed, the empty room and the clothes lying strewn around haphazardly. But that wasn’t all -

On the floor by the door, was a small pool of _blood_ , wet and fresh, the stench of it cloying Sam’s nostrils.

And neither Dean nor Cas were anywhere to be found.

*-*-*

He was burning.

He couldn't feel his toes or his fingers; they were cold, so, so cold. His entire torso was on fire, skin _burning_ from within as the cold spread, hard and fast through his entire body. He opened his mouth to call out - call his mate, he wanted his mate, his pack and his family, he -

**_There, there, now. You’re a good boy, aren’t you?_ **

Yes, he was good, he was _good_ , why wasn’t his mate answering? Why wasn’t he calling back, why couldn't he feel the sweet touch of his mate’s mind?

He reached out again, this time with his consciousness, casting about blindly in the dark - his mate, where was his mate? They’d met barely three days ago, but already he couldn't bare to be without his mate’s consciousness at the back of his own, sometimes ignored but never forgotten.

 **_Babe,_ ** he begged, **_babe, please, answer me, don't -_ **

**_Oh, look at that!_ **

The laugh was cruel, vicious, and the burning in his skin spiked; he opened his mouth to call for his mate -

The only thing that left was a loud, angry scream, a mangled version of his mate’s name, the touch of his mind completely gone and _Gods_ , there was nothing but the empty coldness, just the utter void of silence -

 **_Beloved,_ ** he was begging, he knew it, but he did not care. The cloying stench of blood clogged his nostrils, his animal instinct making his sense of smell stronger, so strong that it drowned everything else out, the metallic redness a strange opposite to the cold and numb blue setting in beneath his skin -

**_He’s calling for his mate._ **

The man’s voice was low, soft and a mockery of a lover’s whisper as slim, rough fingers traced down his skin, a sharp nail digging into the heat of his torso. It was then that he realized that he was stark fucking naked, laid up on the hot, _hot_ thing, spread eagled. Something dripped down his side, even as those fingers pinched at his nipples.

He writhed, begging them to let _go_ , he didn't _want_ this, he didn't want any but his mate touching him, he belonged to his mate, he belonged to _himself_ -

 **_But I can bring you to a much higher state, kiddo,_ ** the man muttered, **_I’m a stronger beast than he ever could be. What are_ ** **you,** **_a witch or a bitch?_ **

He cried out as the cold numbness dwarfed the feeling of something hot and wet dripping on his cock, his fingers suddenly held by his sides, locked into the machine as it spun, round and round and _round_ -

 **_Who is he?_ ** she growled, **_who is this witch whose stink you carry with? Have you claimed him yet?_ **

There was no _claiming_ , he wanted to yell back at her, his mate was his own _person_ , his own being. They were going to _give_ themselves to each other when they were ready, they would share minds -

But he couldn't feel his mate’s mind, _where was his mate,_ **where was that sweet scent** **_of pine_ ** **and leather** **_and oak_ ** **and oil** **_and the forest_ ** **and the road -**

 **_I’ve got you, kiddo,_ ** the man nibbled on his neck, pulling at his cock, even as it stirred from the rough touch it was getting. He didn't want this, mother _fucker_ , he _didn’t_ , this wasn’t the asshole’s to take, this was _his_ , this was his _mate’s_ -

 **_You will submit,_ ** the alpha growled, forcing his head down. The ice spread through his veins, even as his skin burned, claws tearing at his face as something bit into his tail, and he was howling, _howling_ for his mate and his pack and his new brother because Sam cared, Sam was his _brother_ -

Something tickled at his asshole, a long, thin finger tracing his hole and he clenched at the feeling, trying to close his legs; he didn't want the invasive touch, he didn't want this, _he wasn't -_

 **_Aw, my boy, you’re a good boy, open up now, see how you clench for me,_ ** the soft coo was accompanied by a quick, harsh stroke to his cock and he gasped, back arching even as the heat beneath his skin burned, burned, _burned_ -

His magic, **_where was his magic, why couldn't he feel his magic -_ **

He’d never been without his power, **_why couldn't he Shift, where was his mate -_ **

Angry paws clawed at his fur, even as he whined, the coldness of the heat spreading down his torso; his fingers hurt, his claws burned, and fuck, _Gods_ , why did _everything_ hurt, why did this _pleasure_ zing through his veins, he _didn’t_ want this, he wanted his mate -

 **_What is his name?_ ** she demanded as she pressed down further on the wound in his side; he howled, snarling against the grips that held him down as he refused to answer, he _wouldn't_ give his name, that was _his_ alone -

 **_You’re a good boy, tell me where Michael has him,_ ** the grip on his cock softened and he whined in spite of himself, revulsion and pleasure warring in his mind. Fuck, but he wanted Sam, Sam or his mate, he wanted someone, _anyone_ -

**_His name, Castiel!_ **

They were beaten down, unable to breathe, the hot cold buzzing beneath their skin. Their tail whipped feebly in an attempt to strike back back at whatever was holding them down; their fingers spasmed as the long thing was _shoved_ into their hole without any preparation, tearing through their skin.

And he threw himself out of his body, out of his mind, because he wanted his _mate_ , he wanted _his_ mate -

 **_Babe,_ ** he begged, **_please, Cas, baby, I love you -_ **

Warm wetness coated the insides of their thighs as claws and teeth pawed at their skin, leaving behind deep gashes that bled profusely. They couldn't breathe as they were buried below an icy cold, their lungs screaming for air as they were held under water.

 **_Beloved,_ ** he murmured, **_beloved, I’m here, I love you -_ **

Their minds collapsed into one another; his _mate_ , _his_ mate, they were together, they were one -

**_Cas, I love you, don’t leave, please, fuck -_ **

\-  it was hot -

**_I have you, beloved, I love you, I’m here -_ **

\- it was cold -

**_He’s touching me, Cas, I don’t - I’m yours, please, I don't want this, I don't want, I -_ **

\- they were being raped -

**_You’re mine, it’s not your fault, I’ll rip him to shreds, I love you -_ **

\- they were being clawed -

**_Tell me, Dean, what does Michael have planned?_ **

They were left with no dignity as they were stripped bare, held naked and raw to the authority they dared to defy, not even allowed the decency of going unfinished as they had their cock stroked until they arched off of the heat, coming in angry spurts over the hand that squeezed them through the oversensitivity, pain ripping through their tail as a long dagger plunged into their side, reopening their wound, pulling apart the stitches their pseudo-sister had done so carefully -

Revulsion stirred their belly, revulsion and horror at their own body; they’d _given_ up, it had betrayed them, their _own_ body, they couldn't Shift, they were trapped, they had come at _another_ man’s hand, they had _come_ , they had felt _pleasure_ -

**_Dean, no, no, beloved, it’s not your fault -_ **

**_I came, Cas, I_ ** **came** **_, he’s -_ ** **aaaaaahhhh!!!**

**_Dean!_ **

**_Dean?_ **

**_Beloved?_ **

**_Dean!_ **

The touch of his mate vanished and there was nothing but silence, so much _silence_ , just quiet as he screamed, screamed, yelled, _howled_ for his mate -

His mate, where was his mate -

 **_You will submit, Castiel,_ ** Naomi snarled and Michael howled from behind her, the black wolf’s fur matted with the blood that he had clawed out of his own skin.

And without the touch of his mate’s mind, left completely in the icy numb void that was his own consciousness, Castiel bowed his head, seeing no other way.

 **_Yes, alpha,_ ** he whispered, hot tears burning his eyes as he looked away. And Michael howled again, this time in triumph.

**_I submit._ **

*-*-*

When Dean came to, it was to the sounds of a distant banging. His entire body hurt like a mother _fucker_ and his head was pounding; his tongue tasted like he’d swallowed shit, the lingering taste of bile and blood mixing to form a truly awful combination inside his mouth. He breathed in deeply, coughing as the smoke went into his lungs, choking him from within. His eyes burned and he turned his head, head spinning as nausea crept up, the stench of blood and puke cloying his nostrils.

He didn't want to _remember_.

He didn't want to remember how he’d been carved and cut into, he didn't want to remember how the fucker Alistair had touched him -

How he’d _shoved_ things inside -

How it had _hurt_ -

Dean gasped, trying to force the air into his lungs, the smoke in the air _too_ strong, too _nauseating_ , too choking. It hurt, _fuck_ , it hurt, he wanted to curl up, he wanted to lose consciousness again, because son of a fucking _bitch_ , he didn't want to remember his _rape_ or the way his mate had been _torn_ from his mind -

His eyes flew open as he struggled against his bonds; _goddamn_ , how had he forgotten _Cas_ ? Cas had been _wrenched_ from his mind, he’d been _yanked_ away, but Cas had _promised_ to never leave, Cas had _promised_ him that it wasn’t his fault -

**_Cas?_ **

He called out, knowing he sounded desperate, but not giving a shit. Because he _needed_ his familiar, needed his _mate_ to tell him that it was alright, that Dean _wasn’t_ broken, that Alistair hadn’t been entitled to any shit… he just wanted Cas back.

God- _fucking_ -dammit, he should’ve just opened a Portal. If he had, maybe pissing Alistair and Lucifer wouldn't have found them, maybe Michael wouldn’t have captured Cas when the wolf came looking for him.

He was the dumbass who’d forgotten the protection spell; what kind of a witch forgot the most basic of wards? But he’d forgotten and gotten his own ass taken. Cas came looking for him and in the process, fell into Michael’s hands.

All because he’d been pissed at some idiot homophobe and wanted Cas’s reassurance. He was such a baby - he’d faced Dad’s biphobia for years, why the hell hadn’t he just ignored that asshole?

His rape was his own fucking fault; Cas’s capture was his fault.

 **_Cas, babe, please,_ ** he begged **_, please, I’m sorry, Cas, Cas, please -_ **

He pulled at the wards holding him down, closing his eyes against the onslaught of the memories, the smoke burning his throat as the feeling of the dried blood and come crusting on his thighs registered.

He’d come at _Alistair’s_ hands, he’d _come_ , but he hadn’t _wanted_ it, it was _rape_ , but he’d _come_ -

**_Dean._ **

The low growl at the back of his mind was so warm, so familiar that Dean choked out a sob at the sound of it.

 **_Cas,_ ** he cried. **_Cas, I -_ **

**_It wasn’t your fault, beloved,_ ** Cas cut him off. Dean could feel the tight waves of anger he was suppressing, and he swallowed in response; Cas wasn’t angry with _him_ , Cas didn’t think it was _his_ fault.

 **_I will rip them with my bare claws,_ ** Cas muttered, and before he could answer, there was a loud bang as the door was kicked off its hinges. Dean winced, head lolling back, as the distant sounds of fighting echoed from far away.

Cas strode in, every bit the avenging angel Dean knew he’d been named after, brown trench-coat billowing in the slight whoosh of the wind behind him. His hair was matted with sweat, blood stains covering his coat, patches of dark brown contrasting directly with its light bark color. In his hand, he carried a long, silver blade that - _frankly_ \- looked fuckin’ badass, as he marched up to Dean.

He came to a stop in front of the witch, and suddenly, Dean couldn't meet his eyes, more aware of his nudity than he’d been when they’d fucked. Hell, he was torn up and clawed, but it wasn’t the blood - it was the fucking _jizz_ crusting on his thigh that made his cheeks flame, shame prickling down his neck as the hot tears choked his throat again.

“It wasn’t your fault, Dean,” Cas’s voice was a soothing whisper, but it carried conviction and warmth, and Dean whimpered. This whole fucking thing felt like a nightmare, like it _wasn’t_ real, as though he was still wrapped up in his mate’s arms, as though they’d wake up any second and it’d all vanish.

Because, fucking hell, he’d been _tortured_ and _raped_. How did he even get past that?

Without another word, Cas bent down and raised a hesitant hand, not quite touching him, hovering lightly over the broken skin where the shackles bit into it.

 **_May I?_ ** he asked softly, and it was that, _that_ which broke Dean. Alistair had _taken_ , he’d just shoved his cock right in there, without prep, without consent, even as Dean screamed himself hoarse, even as he _begged_ him not to. In contrast, Cas was _asking_ to touch him, not in a sexual manner, but to _free_ him - Cas was _asking_ , and it broke Dean after the horror of the past he-couldn’t-remember-how-long.

A great, ugly sob clawed its way out of his throat and he couldn't respond, the words stuck in his throat as the memory replayed itself over and over again in his mind -

**_Good boy, aren’t you, Dean? Such a good boy, look how hard you are for me._ **

The ghost sensation of angry fingers pulling harshly at his cock, the same fingers clawing at his hole, pushing in without prep, that creepy smile as he grinned at Dean’s pained scream -

Cas’s loud, panicked call as Dean finally blacked out from the pain -

 **_Ca-cas,_ ** he choked out, biting his tongue and tasting fresh blood, **_you don't have to ask, not_ ** **you** **_, oh fuck, god,_ ** **never** **_you, I- I just -_ **

Cas didn't hesitate, reading the ugly longing floating across their link clearly, as he jumped forward and slashed at the shackles angrily. They fell away, limp and clinking to the floor as the wolf pulled Dean up, holding him tenderly, grip firm but gentle, hands cool to the touch as they moved over heated, burnt skin.

“I’m here, beloved,” he whispered, his own voice shaking, “I’m here, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry I let this happen, I’m here, I’m _here_ -”

He kept whispering as the debilitating panic seized at Dean, choking him, drowning him. The world was too small, Cas’s arms the only thing holding him up as his lungs fought for air, his stomach a heavy lead weight that pulled him down, the blood roaring in his ears. He grasped Cas’s coat, clenching his fists around it, burying his face in the wolf’s neck, quiet tears wetting the rough skin.

**_You’re alright, I’ve got you, I’m here, I’m here, I’m not going anywhere -_ **

Cas kept whispering, both in his mind and out loud. A warm glow suffused Dean as the shifter ran his palms up and down the sides of his naked back and it took him a moment to realize that he was healing him. Both of them were too exhausted to truly perform magic, but Cas was using his own strength to still the tremor in his limbs until they could fully Heal.

“I’m sorry, Cas,” he said, voice raw and broken and Cas pulled back to cup his face, fierce blue eyes glaring into tired green ones.

“Don't apologize,” he answered, “Not you. _Never_ you, beloved. I will rip Alistair to shreds for how he hurt you, but it’s not your fault.”

 **_If I cast the protection spell, if I’d just been more careful instead of horny -_ ** he began tiredly and Cas shook his head, pulling him closer again.

 **_Both of us were at fault in that case, Dean,_ ** he murmured, **both** **_of us forgot the wards. It wasn’t just you. But believe me,_ ** he pressed a soft kiss to the witch’s shoulder, **_when I say that what Alistair did to you… that was not your fault,_ ** **ever** **_. And you’re still_ ** **my** **_Dean, still my mate and I’m still going to bite you -_ ** **if you** **_say yes._ **

Dean shuddered in his embrace, nodding into his shoulder, glad that Cas could read his fears across their link. He didn't think he’d ever be able to voice it, just _how_ terrified he was of losing Cas, of Cas rejecting him or walking away - this connection of theirs was so fucking new, and already, he couldn't imagine his life without it.

“Let’s get outta here,” he muttered and Cas nodded back, pulling away to hand him his coat. Dean wrapped it around himself, reveling in the scent of his mate as it surrounded him like a warm blanket, tying it up around his waist to cover himself up fully.

He didn't think he’d want to be naked in front of anyone ever again. Pushing the thought away, he leaned on Cas, who threw an arm across his back, allowing him to press his full weight down on the shifter as he turned to him with a small frown.

 **_Dean,_ ** he began, **_if you don't mind -_ **

**_Yeah, you can Shift,_ ** Dean interrupted, the corners of his lips crying into a small smile, because this, at least, hadn’t changed. He could still sense what Cas was going to say before he said it, just as Cas read him without words, and that was something he’d forever be grateful for.

Cas leaned over to kiss his cheek gently, before pulling back. Dean stood on shaky legs as he watched his wolf make the Shift, skin rippling into fur and limbs growing claws as a low whine left his lips. A moment later, the beast padded over to him, the once-pristine white color of his fur now dirty and muddied, but still so beautiful it made Dean’s heart race.

 **_Lean on me,_ ** Cas murmured and Dean did, climbing on slowly, his entire body burning from the many cuts and bruises that Alastair had carved into his skin. He flopped bonelessly on to Cas’s wolf-form, fingers clutching at his muzzle, careful to not pull at his skin, but allowing himself to let go completely and trust his mate to carry his weight.

Dean didn't answer, but Cas didn't seem to want a response; he leaned back, raising his muzzle and let out a loud howl, calling to the moon that the witch could see shining brightly outside. Then, powerful legs were carrying him forward as the shifter bounded out, headed for the door and out the damn fucking warehouse Dean never wanted to see again.

He sighed as the incessant heat and stink of blood and piss and puke slowly faded away, replaced by the warm smell of the fresh air. Goosebumps erupted as the cool breeze brushed against his naked skin but Dean welcomed the feeling; he was starting to go numb, mind falling away as Cas ran, racing from the literal hell that he’d been in for too long.

 **_You can let go, beloved,_ ** he whispered, howling again. The sound should be eerie, and it _was_ , but it was also soothing, the call of his mate a comforting contrast to the sound of Alistair’s low growl.

 **_Cas, I -_ ** he murmured, eyes fluttering shut as they continued to run, to escape, Cas’s warmth more solid than it had ever been.

 **_It’s alright, Dean,_ ** he murmured, **_I’ve got you. You can let go now. I won't let you fall._ **

He sighed again, the truth of those words settling into his bones. He pushed the warm feeling growing in his tummy across their connection, lighting it a soft red, before he leaned in to place a tender kiss to the sensitive skin where Cas’s neck met his back, where he could see the scar of Michael’s bite still burn bright.

 **_I love you,_ ** he whispered. It was the first time he’d said it; the previous one didn't count, because he’d screamed it, _yelled_ it thinking that it was going to be the last thing he’d ever said. This time though… this time, it was because they were escaping, running to a new life - _together_.

This time, it meant something _more_ . So he repeated it, nuzzling into Cas’s fur as he kissed the junction between neck and back again. **_Love you, Cas._ **

**_I love you too, Dean,_ ** a furry white head turned and the long pink tongue poked out to quickly lick at his face.

And Dean took that as permission to blissfully pass the fuck out.

*-*-*

Sam’s panic was steadily mounting.

It had been one whole day since his brother and his brother-in-law had vanished; walking into that room to find blood and broken furniture had been one of the worst moments of his life. He’d raced out and called Charlie instantly and she’d hacked into the hotel’s security feed to find out what happened.

“Sam,” she snapped when she called him back, “I’m fucking on my way down there and you’re gonna fucking tell me what the fuck is going on.”

Because the first half of the footage she sent over was everything he expected to see - Dean and Cas, getting sweaty within the sheets (god, he was scarred for life, there were some things a brother should never have to see), but the second… the second half was Dean getting clocked on the head and taken by a dark red wolf and then, in a sick replay, Cas getting nabbed by a black wolf as he went searching for his missing mate.

Charlie was still a novice and opening a Portal was difficult at the best of times. The time-space continuum was a cranky bitch, as Dean put it; even experienced witches hesitated to tamper with it, for fear of having their body parts spattered into the ether. That meant that he was stuck in the motel, waiting for her and Amelia to show up before they could continue to the Council to get help.

He’d wanted to go on ahead, but Charlie insisted that he stay; given that he was only a mortal and had no chance of convincing those big-wigs himself without a witch’s memories to back him up, he’d had no choice but to agree. Intellectually, he understood that it would take his fiancée and friend to drive the same distance he and Dean and Cas had come and why he shouldn’t go alone, but intellect meant shit when you knew your brother was probably off being tortured by some weird wolf somewhere.

 _Fuck_ , his brother was kidnapped by a wolf… and he was probably getting tortured. What was he still doing here, sitting and waiting for someone else? What the fuck could he _do_ instead of twiddling his friggin’ thumbs?

Nausea swam up his throat as his brain threw up images of Dean being bitten, clawed and torn to pieces; Sam loved dogs, but that also meant that he knew how wolves acted with a prey and for once, his knowledge of wildlife and having a vet for a brother was not a good thing.

“Sam!”

He shot up at the sound of Charlie’s voice and the accompanying banging on the door, startled, before he hurried to open it, letting her in. Amelia was right behind her and she drew him into a hug as soon as she walked in, wrapping her arms around him comfortingly and letting him rest his weight on her.

“Sam, babe, you’re shaking,” she murmured and he was startled to realize that yes, he was shaking. He grunted in acquiescence, pulling her closer and she took the hint, snuggling further into his embrace as the two of them walked back to the bed where Charlie was bouncing impatiently, already pulling her laptop out.

“Hey Red,” he greeted her tiredly. “We need to hit the road, we need to find Dean and-”

“Yeah, not happening,” she cut him off. “Driving down to the Council will take us at least another two days, and that’s if we drive without stopping.”

“Well, it’s not like you can open a Portal, Charlie!” he yelled, frustrated. “And we’ve already wasted a day waiting!”

Because Dean was out there, getting _clawed_ into by some beast and Sam couldn't do _shit_ here, and for the first time, he was regretting not taking up witchcraft, because, _fuck_ , his brother needed him and he was so useless.

“Thank you Sam,” Charlie answered stiffly, “For reminding me that my mentor is out there, probably getting torn up by wolves, and I can do jack fucking shit to rescue him.”

Sam sighed as Amelia squeezed his waist, dropping a kiss to his neck.

“Not her fault, Sam, and you know it,” she said gently, but her voice was firm, ever the peacemaker and Sam nodded, rubbing his eyes.

“Sorry, Charles,” he muttered, “Just… It’s _Dean_.”

Charlie’s expression softened, “I know,” she whispered, eyes clouding over. For a moment, she didn't say anything and Sam was taken aback to see her hands shaking over her keyboard; clearly, Dean wasn’t just teaching her magic, but also how to bullshit her way through her situation.

It made his heart ache for his brother.

Clearing her throat, she continued, “Which is why,” she said, “I’m not gonna take any risks. Driving to the Council will take too long and if I opened a Portal, there’s no way we aren’t splinching ourselves Ronald Weasley style, so the only option is contacting the Council directly from here.”

Sam blinked in surprise. “You can do that?” he asked, “Then why the hell didn't Dean do it before?”

“Because it’s not the Council we’re calling directly,” she answered, “I have a contact who might be willing to help us. I called him while Aimes drove us here.”

“Why didn't you contact him earlier then?” Sam exclaimed, “This whole thing could’ve been avoided, Charlie!”

“And I’d have gone to jail, Sam,” she snapped back, “Metatron thinks - well until now at least - that I died in the car accident that killed my parents; now that he knows I’m alive, he’s gonna dig up my entire history, and it’s bye-bye sunlight, cuz I know he’s gonna pull me in just to use my brain.”

Sam shrank back, chastised. Charlie’s history was not one they discussed often; Dean had found her in the alleyway behind what would eventually become the Winchester Clinic, hungry and starving, a snarky on-the-run twenty-year old. It had taken them a long time before she confessed that the man she was running from was her own Uncle, a man who wanted to make use of her genius brain to hack into his enemies’ systems. Not wanting to be used as a patsy, she’d escaped, but done some not-so-legal things to survive while on the run.

And now, she was giving herself up for his brother without thought - he swallowed hard, reaching over Amelia’s shoulders to bring her into the hug. She stiffened for a moment before crumpling in his grip and clinging to him.

“Wait…” he remembered the way Dean had hesitated before leaving, the way he’d looked pointedly at Charlie when refusing her help.

Dean had known.

“Dean knew?” he asked, but it wasn’t really a question. Charlie sighed and nodded, looking away. The expression on her face was telling and Sam went over to offer her a hug. Pulling back, he tucked a stray strand of crimson hair behind her ear. “Neither Dean nor I will let him take you, Red,” he said softly, “I promise.”

She offered him a crooked smile and went back to her laptop. “Don't make promises you can’t keep, Sam,” she said quietly, “For Dean… it doesn’t matter what happens to me.”

He opened his mouth to protest and then closed it again, swallowing hard. She was right, god-fucking- _dammit_ , she was right - there wasn’t anything he wouldn't sacrifice for Dean. When it came right down to it, Charlie would be, at worst, in metaphoric jail with her uncle, but Dean could be getting _torn_ apart right now. He’d be able get Charlie out later, but Dean… Dean needed him now.

And Charlie, as Dean’s apprentice and his closest friend after Sam, well knew it.

God, he loved this redhead. With a sigh, he settled on the bed, pulling Aimes closer to him. She rested her head on his shoulder, silence falling in the room, as Charlie’s feet flew over her keyboard and she muttered under her breath.

“Charlie,” Sam started nervously, “What -?”, almost ten minutes later, when she still hadn’t said anything to them or even looked up from her laptop. She raised her index finger at him in a gesture that was anywhere between shut-up-I-need-to-concentrate and gimme-a-moment-I’m-almost-done. Sighing, he shared a look with Amelia, whose foot was tapping impatiently against the ground.

“What exactly are we waiting for?” Amelia asked and Charlie still didn't respond, shaking her head and mumbling exasperatedly.

“Me, actually.”

His fiancée shrieked at the loud voice and jumped, pulling Sam with her. The two of them whirled around to see a short man standing behind them on top of the bed, sandy hair mused up and a cheeky grin offset by the red lollipop hanging off his lower lip.

“What the fuck-?!” Sam yelled, quickly raising his hands in a defensive posture and pushing Amelia behind him. She huffed, pushing past his grip as she glared at the intruder.

“Who the hell are you?!” she snarled. “And how the fuck did you get here?”

The short man whistled through his teeth, eyeing her appreciatively. “Quite a firecracker you got there, Sammy!” he jumped to the floor, leaning against the headboard in a leisurely manner.

“Answer the question,” Sam said through gritted teeth, “Who the fuck are you and how’d you get here?”

“Loki,” Charlie sounded tired, “Of course Metadouche sent _you_.”

The man’s expression softened from a cheeky to a fond one and he turned to the redhead sitting on the other bed, her features resigned as she looked up at the short man.

“I volunteered, kiddo,” he said softly. “He wanted to send Gadreel, but…” he shrugged, “I know how much you hate that fucker, so I said I’d go.”

She shuddered and sighed, “Thanks for that,” she said and Sam cleared his throat.

“Charlie,” he said, “Mind sharing with the class?”

“Sam Winchester, meet my Metadouche Uncle’s right-hand man, Loki,” she rolled her eyes when the short man made a sweeping bow. “He’s a prick, but he isn't as bad as the rest of ‘em dicks.”

“Gee, thanks Red,” Loki said sarcastically, “Your approval means so much.”

Sam and Amelia shared a confused look and the younger Winchester knew she was thinking the same as he was - who was this guy and how the hell had he gotten into the room so easily? The room was locked, which mean that he must have used a Portal, but making a Portal was a difficult job normally. To have done it without making any noise, without causing any of the usual disturbance - it was theoretically possible, but Sam had never seen it done.

Whoever this guy was, he was packing some serious power.

And he worked for Charlie’s asshole uncle?

Just how powerful was Metatron? He wasn’t part of the Council himself, Sam knew - after Bobby died, neither he nor Dean had taken much interest in the Council, but they were familiar with a number of the members through their connection with the old man. Crowley and his mother Rowena were a nasty piece of work, but Rufus Turner was a fair judge of character, as was Ellen Harvelle and her daughter, Jo. The rest of the Council Members were a mystery, but Sam was pretty sure Metatron wasn’t one of them - just how was he connected to them?

“Charlie,” Sam began, but the computer witch shook her head.

“Not now, Sam,” she said softly, “I know you have questions. And I’ll answer them, but… let’s get Dean first.”

“Dean knows, doesn’t he?” Amelia spoke up, “About this Metadouche and his connection to the Council?”

Charlie offered them a small smile, “Why do you think he took me in?” she asked tiredly. “He caught that I was a witch right away, knew he’d seen me around the Council because my uncle hung around the Chambers constantly, trying to rope in favors and power.”

She looked up, determined hazel eyes meeting Sam’s steadily. “But that isn't here or there. I’m not my uncle, but I’m not above using his pull to get Dean back. And clearly, we need the Council’s power to do this.”

“Do what exactly?” Loki cut in, “You weren’t very clear on that when you called Metatron. And what makes you think you can convince him to convince the Council on your behalf to help?”

“Because I’m fucking ready to do his stupid evil bidding,” she snapped, “I’ll use my hacking powers for his nefarious purposes if he gets those damn lazy pigs to get my boys back.”

“Your boys, Red?” a sandy eyebrow climbed up his forehead and Charlie flushed.

“Yes,” she said fiercely, “Fuck off, Loki.”

Loki didn't answer, but whistled, shrugging. “Your funeral,” he said. “You realize Metatron isn’t gonna like this.”

It wasn’t a question and Charlie rolled her eyes.

“He doesn’t like most things,” she quipped, “So I don't really give shit. Now, you gonna help us or not? My dick uncle listens to you and you know it… will you help me get him to do this?”

“And why should I?” he asked. “‘S not like you can have anything to offer me, kiddo.”

“Cut it out, Loki,” Charlie snarled; Sam shared a surprised look with Amelia. They’d seen Charlie pissed before, even righteously so, and he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t wary of the redhead’s temper. But they’d never seen her so defensive or so furious; even angry, Charlie had a sort of kindness about her, which seemed to have just vanished under a hardness now that was utterly out of character.

“Dean is my brother,” she continued, “When Metadouche fucked me over to the point where I ran, it was Dean and Sam who took me in, who helped me build a life. The only reason I came out of hiding now was for Dean; I swear to god if you make this a bargaining deal, I will rip your nuts out and feed it to you.”

Amelia snorted, but Loki didn't retort, instead whistling.

“You haven’t changed, Red,” he smirked. Charlie glared at him and he shrugged. Their eyes met and for a long moment, silence reigned as his brother’s apprentice stared down the strange, seemingly-crazy, super-powerful witch who was decades older and more experienced than her.

“Alright, kiddo,” Loki said abruptly, “Show me what you got.”

Charlie blinked, surprised, before she nodded in acceptance.

“Thanks,” she said and Loki grinned, chewing on the lollipop.

“Fu ‘fow me,” he said around it and she made a face.

“Of course I owe you,” she said in a resigned tone and Loki chuckled as he perused the laptop. None of them said anything as he hit the play button the security footage Charlie had pulled up.

“That’s Dean?” Loki smirked as the elder Winchester made his way into the room, stomping in in an annoyed manner after his confrontation with the hotel manager.

“Yeah,” Sam nodded, “That’s my brother. You should be seeing Cas now-”

“Motherfucker,” Loki swore. He banged his hand on the table next to them and Amelia jumped, startled at the vehemence in his voice.

“What is it?” Charlie asked. He looked up, a strange expression on his face and Sam saw that Castiel had entered the room on the video, moving over to where Dean was propped up stiffly on the bed.

“I’m out,” he said, “Kiddo, this isn't my fight, I’m out. You can convince Metatron yourself.”

He stood up, waving his hand in a motion Sam recognized as calling up a Portal. Charlie jumped up but Sam was faster, grabbing his arms quickly and holding him back.

“Let me go, you dumb moose!” Loki struggled, pushing against his grip and Sam growled, finally done.

“Look, I don't care who the _fuck_ you are,” he hissed, “But you said you’d help and you’re fucking going to. That’s my _brother_ over there, brother and his mate, and both of them have been fucing kidnapped by Cas’s stupid pack.”

“Why the hell do I care?” Loki spit out, “It’s not my problem.”

“Dean could be getting torn apart right now, Loki!” Charlie said desperately. the elder witch shrugged as best as he could while being trapped in Sam’s arms.

“Not my problem, Red,” he repeated, “I want no part of this, I’m out-”

“You know him, don't you?” Amelia said quietly, “You jumped the moment you saw Castiel enter the room - you _know_ him.”

Charlie and Sam shared a wide-eyed look as Amelia continued to hold the short man’s gaze steadily.

“Loki,” the redhead murmured, “Loki _please_ . If you know what’s happening, please… this is _Dean_.”

For a long moment, Loki simply glared at them, before he dropped his hands and placed his palm on Sam’s arm. The younger Winchester yelped as a sudden heat burned through his skin; he dropped him instinctively and the elder witch stepped out of his grip, sinking into the bed on which Charlie was seated.

“If _Castiel_ is Dean’s mate,” he said, voice heavy, “I can guess where this is going. And it’s not good.”

“Please,” Sam knew he was begging, but he didn't care - Charlie was right, this was _Dean_. “Please, just…”

Loki looked up and flinched as he met Sam’s gaze.

“Sit down,” he gestured to the bed next to him, “This is gonna take a while.”

*-*-*

It was like watching from a distance.

Castiel was aware of everything; he could see himself and Dean as they rode through the wilderness and into the Borderlands where he had been raised a wolf as part of Michael’s pack. He could feel his paws as they pounded across the forest floor, feel the weight of his mate’s body across his back and feel the way Dean clung to him as they raced across shrubbery and tall trees.

Castiel could see - but his eyes weren’t his own. He could feel his fur and his skin, but his body no longer belonged to him.

He could hear Dean’s mind, a vibrant, colorful entity that longed to connect with his own fully, but he could no more control it than he could stop his legs from racing towards Michael.

Because this… _this_ was the deal he’d made. This was the deal with one devil to rescue his mate from the other - submitting to Michael meant that he could sneak into Lucifer’s and save Dean, but it also meant losing himself to the alpha.

He wasn’t alone - he was aware, but he wasn’t alone. Naomi and Michael were a lingering presence at the back of his mind; he could hear her, pushing him to bring Dean to their pack, pushing him to follow through on his alpha's commandments.

“Cas,” Dean slurred across his back, grip tightening on Castiel’s neck as he nuzzled against his fur. The sick feeling that he’d been carrying in his stomach grew; his mate trusted him, _trusted_ that Castiel was taking them to the Council, to safety.

Dean trusted him - Dean _loved_ him.

 **_I’m here, beloved,_ ** he sent reassuringly across their link. He could feel the derision from Naomi distantly - it had been floating across for the entirety of the whole evening, from the moment he’d banged the door down and caught Dean in his arms, cursing Alistair for what he’d done to the man he loved.

Dean _loved_ him.

The knowledge sat bitter on his tongue as he led Dean through the jungle and into the Borderlands, where Michael and the rest of them were waiting. His every step was an ache, a betrayal, but Castiel couldn't control it - _he_ wasn’t in control of his body.

Naomi was.

“Cas, where the hell we goin’?” Dean’s voice was confused. Castiel couldn't do anything but growl at him.

 **_Let me tell him, Naomi,_ ** he begged, **_let me at least say goodbye._ **

**_You belong to Michael, Castiel,_ ** she hissed back, you swore servitude. **_This is what Michael wants._ **

“Cas!” Dean yelled, “Cas, what the hell is happening?”

 **_Naomi, please. This is my_ ** **mate** **_-_ **

**_And Michael is your alpha,_** she cut in, **_he wants you bring Dean to him._**

 **_You want me to deliver the man I love to a fate almost as bad as the one I just rescued him from,_ ** he snapped, **_how can you expect me to do that?_ **

**_You were able to rescue him_ ** **because** **_of Michael,_ ** she pointed out. **_Michael gave you the power you needed, the backup you required to launch a full-force attack on Alistair. You owe him._ **

**_I swore to serve him, Naomi. I will give up my Mating Bond with Dean to serve my alpha, just please…_ ** Castiel sounded desperate and he knew it.

But how was he supposed to bring his mate to the very Pack they’d been running from? How could he hurt Dean like that?

 **_Michael is your alpha, Castiel,_ ** Naomi’s voice held a tone of finality. **_Trust your alpha. He will not cause harm to Dean so long as your mate does what we ask of him._ **

They would destroy the human world in their war against Lucifer. And all the little pups, all the wolves who listened to Castiel… all of them would remain stuck in their wolf forms forever, because they didn't know they could be human too.

They didn't _what_ it was to be human.

And now, they’d see Michael making a Dean - a _human_ \- submit to him.

It would reaffirm every single belief Michael was hammering into their heads; that wolves were superior, that they were powerful and deserved to have mankind bow down to them.

It was blasphemy, but there was nothing Castiel could do.

“Cas,” Dean’s fingers tightened around his muzzle painfully and all he could do was whine. “Cas, babe, what’s goin’ on? Talk to me.”

 **_Please, Naomi,_ ** he begged.

She was silent for a long while, before she sighed and said, **_A single touch, Castiel,_ ** she muttered. **_Say your farewells._ **

And for the space of a single second, she offered him control of his own body again. For a second, he could feel Dean’s mind opening to his fully, their hearts a perfect mate for the other, joining in full. Adrenalin pounding through his veins, Castiel tumbled to a stop.

Dean yelped as he snaked his giant head to the back to meet his mate’s worried green eyes. A rough, pink tongue poked out as he sniffed at Dean’s forehead, licking the shell of his ear.

 **_Dean,_ ** he murmured, **_I love you so much._ **

The witch stared back at him in confusion.

 **_I love you too, Cas,_ ** he whispered.

Castiel licked him again. **_I need you to trust me,_ ** he muttered, hating the words, hating each lie as it spilled from his mind and into his mate’s.

 **_Cas, you know I do,_ ** Dean said confusedly. “Cas, what’s goi-wooooah!”

He yelped a second time as Castiel turned around and began to run again, bounding in the direction of the Borderlands, where the Pack lived.

And then, Castiel was lost.

*-*-*

Dean’s heart stuttered to a freezing halt.

It was _gone_ , Cas’s mind was gone from his, it was _gone_ -

His heart jump started, racing a mile a minute, feeling as though it was about to burst out of his goddamned chest, because _fuck_ , he couldn't feel Cas anymore. It was just like when he was with Alistair, just like when he was… no, he wasn’t fucking going there right now, but the silence, the silent buzz of his mate’s existence…

_Fuck, Cas was gone._

And yet, he was riding his wolf-form, running with it into what looked like the Borderlands. Dean had never been beyond the human territory into where Shifter Packs lived, but he’d heard stories.

“Cas!”

He pulled at the white muzzle he’d been nuzzling against not less than an hour ago. There was a loud growl in response, but Cas didn't answer; his mind was completely closed off, as though it just didn't exist, and Dean’s heart broke, because fuck, he _needed_ his mate right now, needed to know that he _wasn’t_ being rejected because he was bloody tainted -

Right about now would be Cas’s warmth and affection pressing against his mind, but nothing came, no answer, no loving call.

Cas was _gone_.

Dean scratched his fingers against the muzzle, now well and truly terrified - son of a _bitch_ , what the hell was happening? If Cas was conked out, who - or what - was the wolf that he was riding and where the hell was he being taken?

“Hey!” he cried, “Lemme go, you son of a -” **_Cas, babe, please, where are you, answer me, I need you -_ **

He gripped the muzzle tight and yanked as hard as he could, feeling some of the hair give, coming straight off the skin.

The wolf stumbled, howling loudly and shook this way and that. Dean hung on tightly, refusing to let go and Cas growled angrily, turning around to wrap enormous jaws around Dean’s arms.

Yet, the bite didn’t come; Dean sighed as the wolf stopped just shy of ripping his arm out altogether. Instead, the wolf head-butted him, and Dean, already dizzy from the blood loss and the entire ordeal took this as permission to pass the fuck out again.

When he finally came to, he wished he hadn’t.

Because in front of him, stood a huge black wolf, almost twice the size of Castiel, snarling at him.

And Dean, much to his horror, was lying in the dead centre of a Rune Circle that held his magic at bay. From across him, he could see Castiel on the ground next to him, snarling and whining as he held his head low in front of another grey wolf who stood with her paws on top of him.

All around them, wolves were standing in a circle, as though watching a circus. Some were whining, some barking; others were simply lying low, heads bowed in submission as they snarled unhappily.

 **_Cas_ **! he yelled, throwing his mind opening desperately. He knew where he was, he knew who these wolves were - Cas’s Pack.

His _Pack_.

Which meant that the wolf padding over to him was the douche alpha, Michael. And the bitch holding Cas down was Naomi.

Fuck, Dean was in the Borderlands - the same Borderlands that he and Cas had raced to the Council to defend.

How the hell had this happened?

 **_Cas!_ ** he screamed again, “CASTIEL!” he didn’t care that his voice was all but gone, didn't care that the wolves were snarling, didn't care that the black wolf paused menacingly, pulling its jaws back to reveal massive white canines that could pretty much chew him up like fucking dinner.

Castiel was gone - he wasn’t answering.

And after having been tortured, raped and forcibly yanked away from his Familiar’s - his _mate’s_ \- mind, not once but twice…

Dean was close to his breaking point.

 **_Castiel, baby, please,_ ** he whispered, **_shaking, Cas, please -_ **

**_Hello, Dean._ **

Dean didn’t need to look at the damn beast to know that it was Michael’s voice in his head.

 **_Where the fuck is Cas, you asshole?_ ** the witch hissed back at him. He could feel the runes eating at his magic, feel the way his already diminished power was fading. Son of a bitch, if only he could get off a spell.

It was humiliating, being laid up like this in front of them. He was a goddamned practicing witch with not only training and power, but a full-fledged apprentice. To be beaten, because he’d been the idiot dumbass who forgot a protection spell… it stung.

 **_Castiel doesn’t serve you, Dean,_ ** the obnoxious fucker’s voice resounded smugly. **_He serves his Pack, he serves me._ **

As though in agreement, the white wolf that had once been Dean’s mate turned his head to Michael and whined like a bitch in heat.

Dean’s heart sank - Cas, where was his Cas?

“Castiel,” he pleaded, “Cas, come on man. This isn’t you. You ran from these douches, come back -”

 **_That’s right, Dean,_ ** Michael growled, **_Castiel ran. He betrayed us. And for that, he will be punished._ **

**_You’re a friggin’ monster, Mikey,_ ** Dean growled right back. **_Cas told me all about your little plan - force witches to Bond with you so you can have your little pissin’ contest with your younger brother?_ **

**_My name is Michael,_ ** the black wolf towered over Dean and the witch instinctively flinched. **_And I only do what I must to protect my Pack. Lucifer must be stopped._ **

**_And why the hell should mortals pay the price?_ ** he demanded. **_You’ll tear the Borderlands apart in your little fuel; you don't even allow your wolves to transform into their human selves!_ **

**_Animal life is pure,_ ** Michael sounded like the psychopathic maniac he was, **_it’s serene, it’s simple. You hunt when you’re hungry, kill when you’re attacked, mate when the season comes around. It’s freedom. There’s no hate, no anger, no emotion, Dean - I thought you’d appreciate that._ **

**_You know nothing about me, asshole,_ ** Dean snapped, **_if your Pack_ ** **chooses** **_animal life, that’s fine. Forcing them to it isn’t freedom, that’s fucking dictatorship._ **

**_Showing my Pack the right path is what I’m meant to do as alpha,_ ** Michael answered. **_And I must protect them from Lucifer._ **

**_From the brother_ ** **you** **_banished,_ ** Dean snorted, recalling the memories of the Pack’s history from what Cas had shared. **_Because_ ** **you** **_threw him out._ **

**_I did what I had to!_ ** Michael’s hot breath passed over Dean’s face and he pulled back with a snarl. There was only _one_ wolf allowed to scent him and he currently propped up below another bitch.

**_I love my brother, Dean, just like you do yours._ **

Dean’s blood ran cold at that sentence. “What the fuck do you mean?” he hissed, both mentally and with his voice.

Sam - _Sammy_.

What the hell did these assholes know about Sammy?

And that brought his mind to a stuttering halt - what the _fuck_ had happened to Sam? In all the time he’d been tortured, he hadn’t spared a thought to his brother.

Shit, what the hell kind of sibling was he?

But Sam had been in a different room, he recalled, Sam didn’t have magic or any connection to Cas an the Pack.

Sam should be okay… Sam _had_ to be okay.

Pushing down the steadily mounting panic, Dean focused on the wolf before him, the wolf standing with a stiff spine and glaring down at him.

 **_How the hell do you know about my brother?_ ** he snapped. **_Where is Sammy? If you’ve fucking hurt him -_ **

**_He’s not here,_ ** Michael interrupted, **_it’s not Sam we want, Dean. It’s you._ **

**_How the hell do you know me?_ ** he couldn’t quite snarl like the wolves, but he damn well was gonna try.

 **_How do you think Castiel managed to rescue you from Alistair, Dean?_ ** Michael sounded fucking smug and Dean wished he had his magic so he could destroy this asshole right the hell now.

**_We helped him because he swore his allegiance to me. He submitted to his alpha._ **

**_You fucking asshole,_ ** Dean growled back, **_you forced him to. That wasn’t submission, that was resignation._ **

**_Watch your mouth, Dean Winchester!_ ** Michael pounced and Dean yelled in terror as the hundred pound wolf pressed down on his chest. Sharp claws dug into his skin through the light trenchcoat - _Cas’s_ trenchcoat - tearing through it to seat against already wounded skin, and suddenly, tears burned bright in Dean’s eyes from instinctive pain as every cut, every burn and every wound he’d forgotten flared up.

 **_Castiel submitted to me,_ ** those wide, angry eyes stared right into Dean’s face. No one could pretend they were okay with a fucking predator staring at them so hatefully, but the witch met his gaze defiantly.

There was only one wolf he was going to submit to - Michael fucking douche sure as hell wasn’t him.

 **_And so will you,_ ** Michael drew one long claw down the side of Dean’s chest, ripping open the skin there. Dean grit his teeth, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a wince or groan, but mother _fucker_ , his entire body burned.

God, he wanted his mate back; Cas had Healed him, tried to make him whole even when he himself was dripping from exhaustion.

 **_I’m not one of your bitches,_ ** Dean retorted. **_Get someone else to do your dirty work._ **

**_Oh, but Dean,_ ** Michael sniffed at the crook where neck met shoulder and Dean instantly snapped it so that his head was resting on his shoulder, not allowing the wolf to scent him.

Dean already _had_ a fucking mate and that was _his_ privilege.

Alistair had taken that away from him once - no one else was ever touching him again until _Dean_ said so.

 **_You’re going to do what I want,_ ** Michael pulled back, letting him sit up and Dean raised an eyebrow.

“And how’re you gonna make me?” he asked out loud.

Michael simply snarled. As if on cue, the bitch standing on top of Cas pressed her claws down on him, snapping her jaws against his muzzle, drawing blood.

Dean’s heart sank - fuck, _no_ , why the fuck hadn’t he seen this coming?

They had Cas in their control.

Castiel had _submitted_.

 **_As you can see,_ ** Michael said, **_Castiel has submitted. If you do not do my bidding, Dean, then it is well within my right as his Pack alpha - and therefore, yours - to have his neck snapped in half. You wouldn't want that, I presume?_ **

“I’mma fucking kill you,” Dean growled, “You goddamned son of a bitch.”

 **_Quite literally, indeed I am,_ ** Michael smirked mentally, and Dean wished for shapeshifting ability just to claw him to pieces.

Now, the black wolf padded back to where Naomi was digging into Cas’s muzzle. **_Will you consent to Bond with me, Dean? Will you be my human, even as I consent to being your Familiar?_ **

**_I already_ ** **have** **_a Familiar,_ ** Dean snapped back, **_he’s my mate. You can fuck your -_ **

Cas’s loud yelp of fear and pain cut him off as Naomi bot down on his flank harshly. When she pulled back, her jaw was dripping with blood, with Cas’s blood, and Dean felt the bile coat his tongue bitter as he realized the truth.

He had no choice.

He’d have to accept Michael as his Familiar.

Which would negate the bond he had with Cas.

 **_Castiel, if you would do the honors,_ ** Michael said and Dean started as Naomi stepped off of Cas, letting him stagger to his feet.

Once-white fur now matted crimson with blood and caked with mud, Castiel stumbled to Dean, growling angrily. The witch reached out a trembling hand to his mate, hoping against hope that some part of Cs was still there, that Cas was still alive even if his mind was closed off to Dean -

 **_Cas, sweetheart -_ ** he began, but the wolf pounced on him, pushing him back. Dean fell to the floor with a yelp, throwing his hands up instinctively.

God, what a farce of the position they’d been in just a couple days ago - he’d wanted Cas on him then, would’ve given anything for this to be sweeter, to be the kind of mating it was supposed to have been. Instead, he was propped up as a thing for Michael to use in his war, broken and bruised and bleeding with a zombie mate on top of him.

How the hell had it come to this?

He only had himself to blame; he was the horny, needy asshole who’d forgotten the protection spell.

Wide, empty blue eyes stared into his own, and Dean reached for Cas, desperately, looking for that spark, looking for the warmth that were always in those eyes.

 **_Bring him to us, Castiel,_ ** Naomi’s voice was that of a frigid bitch.

 **_Cas,_ ** Dean whispered, throat dry, shaking beneath the white wolf, who growled angrily. **_Cas, love, please._ **

He had to try, he _had_ to reach his mate - Cas was in there, _somewhere_ , Dean was sure of it. He gave himself up to come and rescue Dean; he’d promised to stay.

Cas _wouldn't_ leave, not now, not ever.

 **_I need you,_ ** he begged, **_please, Cas. come back to me._ **

He shifted, moving his head to the side, offering his neckl to the wolf, exposing the most vulnerable part of himself to the beast on top of him.

Because Cas wasn’t just a beast, Cas was _both_ animal and human - Cas _loved_ him, whether he was a wolf or a man.

 **_Cas, I need you,_ ** he repeated, leaning up and wrapping his arms around the wolf, offering him the crook of his neck to scent.

For the length of two heartbeats, there was nothing but silence between them, even as he could hear Michael sniggering in the distance.

And then, a warm, familiar wet nose was sniffing at his skin, a bright mind sluggishly opening to his own.

**_Dean?_ **

Cas’s voice was confused as he poked out a pink tongue to lick the side of Dean’s face.

The witch almost sobbed with relief.

**_Cas!_ **

**_Dean, what -_ **

**_“Cas.”_ **

The sound of his mate’s voice was the sweetest thing he’d ever heard; Dean wrapped his arms around Cas’s muzzle and buried his face into fur that was matted with blood and sweat, but still somehow impossibly smelled of his mate.

**_No!_ **

Michael’s roar drowned out Naomi’s yelp as the black wolf pounced forward. Cas pushed Dean back, towering over him protectively as he faced his alpha, shaking on his feet, but determined to protect his mate, his hackles raised in challenge.

 **_You submitted, Castiel,_ ** Michael growled, **_you_ ** **submitted** **_to me._ **

**_I did,_ ** Castiel snarled back, **_and now I’m standing up to you. Dean is my mate, I’m his Familiar. He’s not yours to claim._ **

**_You will regret this, Castiel,_ ** Michael hissed, **_I will have you killed for challenging your Pack alpha._ **

**_In that case, I will die defending what is mine,_ ** Castiel answered.

The two wolves circled one another; around them, the rest of the wolves whined in surprised, unsure as to what was happening.

 **_I am Pack Alpha, Castiel,_ ** Michael snarled. **_All of these wolves, all of you belong to me. You follow me, you submit to me._ **

**_No,_ ** Cas said defiantly. **_Pack law does not mean that you dictate everything, Michael. That’s why I ran, that’s why I will oppose you. We’re wolf, but we’re human too._ **

Dean shakily got to his feet, stumbling to his familiar’s side and leaning against the huge wolf.

 **_My mate,_ ** Cas continued **_, is a witch. And he’s human. You can’t negate one side for the other, Michael._ **

**_Human beings are weak, Castiel,_ ** Naomi’s voice was firm, but Dean could detect a tremulous strain there, as though she didn't know what to believe. **_They couldn't possibly hope to -_ **

“And yet, you need a fucking human witch to help you defend your own territory,” he cut in sharply. Castiel whined in agreement as he turned to the rest of the wolves standing around in them a confused, silent circle.

**_You’ve forgotten what it is to be human, but -_ **

**_Enough!_ ** Michael snarled and the next thing Dean knew, he was being pushed to the side as the pack alpha jumped on Castiel, tackling him to the ground.

 **_Cas!_ ** he yelled, but all he got in response was a loud growl as Castiel fought to release himself from the black wolf.

Chaos erupted; the rest of the Pack, fucking cowards that they were, scattered with loud whines and snarls as Michael and Cas wrestled on the ground. Dean thought watching dogs wrestle on the ground was bad - this was much, _much_ worse.

Frustrated, he pulled at the restraints holding him back. They weren’t physical, but he could feel them blocking his power, not allowing him to help his mate.

Said mate was clawing at the alpha of his pack, trying to get him of off himself. But not only was Michael bigger, he also had years of experience on Cas - having spent all his time as a wolf, he had naturalized instincts on defending territory that Cas didn't fully have.

Fuck, his mate was _hurt_ , he was getting torn apart - literally - and Dean could do _nothing_.

He opened his mouth to yell again, when suddenly, out of nowhere, another wolf slammed into Cas and Michael.

It was an awe-inspiring, terrifying sight. Three wolves, one black, one white and the new brown, tussling on the forest floor.

Blood sprayed into the air as claws and teeth nipped and scratched and bit; Dean could watch in frozen horror as the third wolf snapped at Cas’s neck. Cas howled, back arching, as the brown beast caught him by the scruff of his neck like he was little more than a puppy. Cas’s beautiful paws clawed at the empty air as he was dragged off of Michael, pushed back.

“Cas!” Dean screamed. Angrily, he yanked at the damn restraints, but they held strong. “Fuck!” he screamed, pulling and pulling in vain.

 **_Lucifer,_ ** Cas panted, **_Lucifer, you can't -_ **

**_Stay out of it, Castiel,_ ** the brown wolf hissed. He circled around Michael, who was growling, bunched back on his hind legs. Castiel was wounded, Dean saw, his entire side bleeding, ripped open in the fight.

**_Lucifer, this is madness -_ **

**_This Pack is mine, brother,_ ** Michael cut in. **_Coming here was an act of stupidity on your part, you don't think -_ **

**_My numbers are greater than yours,_ ** Lucifer answered. **_You know this, Michael. Why else would you try to kidnap a witch?_ **

Michael snarled in answer, but his brother continued as though he hadn’t heard. Another grey wolf bounded over, standing behind Lucifer.

 **_Cas!_ ** Dean cried out a warning, but the grey wolf pushed him down, standing over him and holding his captive.

 **_Fortunately for you, some of your Pack wish for a regime change,_ ** he circled around Michael. **_Like Uriel over there who saw fit to inform me immediately of your plans._ **

**_Uriel, you -_ ** Cas sounded betrayed and Dean wanted nothing more than to comfort his mate, to wrap his arms around him.

 **_I’m sorry, Castiel,_ ** the grey wolf bent down momentarily nosing against Cas before becoming rigid and firm again. **_But Lucifer is my brother._ **

**_They will destroy the Borderlands!_ ** Castiel yelled, **_they will destroy everything in their fight for territory._ **

**_‘Tis the way of the wild, brother,_ ** Lucifer sounded so fucking lofty, Dean wanted to punch him. **_We’re wolves, this is what we do._ **

**_We’re human,_ ** Cas insisted, **and** **_wolf. You cannot choose one over the other, Lucifer, that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you -_ **

**_Enough,_ ** Michael howled. **_Lucifer, if this is how you want to play it, then fine, brother. I challenge you. Right here, right now. Fight me._ **

**_You challenge me now that your plan to use a witch to strike at me fails,_ ** Lucifer sounded amused and then paused. The two wolves eyed one another menacing, snarling at each other, before Lucifer dipped in his head in acquiescence.

 **_Very well, brother. I will fight you._ ** He turned to Uriel, still holding Cas down. **_You know what to do,_ ** he instructed, and then turned back to Michael.

 **_If I win,_ ** he said, **_the Pack is mine. As are the Borderlands._ **

**_You won’t,_ ** Michael answered, **_and when I defeat you, brother, I will feast on your flesh to show my Pack what true strength is._ **

If Dean had thought before that Cas and Michael’s fight was awe-inspiring, he’d been mistaken. That was clearly a small tussle in comparison to this; Michael had been clearly the stronger of the two and it had been like watching an amused cat play with her kitten.

This… this was much worse. It was fucking _scary_ was what it was; Michael and Lucifer were matched in strength and size, and watching them twine around one another on the floor, snapping and biting and clawing, was the scariest thing Dean had ever seen - or it would have been, if he gave a shit about either of them.

But Dean didn't give a fuck.

Mikey and Luci could tear each other apart for all he cared; it was _Cas_ Dean was worried about. And Cas wasn’t doing so well.

Because Uriel was pushing him down to the ground, snarling and nipping at him. And Cas, who Dean was sure could’ve kicked this sucker’s ass on a normal day, could only weakly snarl back and try to twist away, bleeding out and injured.

“Cas!” he yelled for what felt like the thousandth time. _Fuck_ these restraints, if he couldn’t help Cas magically, then he was going to do it physically.

He stumbled to his feet, staggering to where Cas was clawing at Uriel’s bulky form, trying to push him off. His magic protested; the Rune Circle pulled him back, tying him to the ground, not allowing him to move.

He couldn’t leave the circle - he was trapped.

Again.

Panic rose inside his gut, twisting like a dark snake, choking him from within. Cas was _there_ , Cas was getting _torn_ apart, and Dean could only stand there and watch.

Fuck, this wasn’t happening. Not _now_ , not _again_ \- Dean _couldn't_ be this helpless again, couldn't lose his mate a _third_ time, hell _no_ -

He struggled against the fucking Runes like a madman; if he could _just_ wipe some of them away, just get rid of a few and break the damn thing -

**_Need some help, kiddo?_ **

Dean’s blood ran cold as he looked up; dimly, he registered that the snarls and whines that he’d been hearing weren’t just from the two pairs of wolves tussling a few feet away.

In front of him stood a huge, blood-red wolf, teeth pulled back into the wolfish version of a smirk.

He froze, heart thudding.

_Alistair._

Alistair was _here_.

Son of a fucking bitch.

 **_Dean, Dean, Dean,_ ** Alistair chortled, **_it’s so nice to see you again. I’ve quite missed you._ **

**_Stay the fuck away from me, asshole!_ ** Dean snarled.

 **_Dean!_ ** Cas’s voice called, and Dean felt the comforting brush of his mind against his own. It was panicked, worried and pained, but it was _there_ , and that was exactly what he needed right now.

 **_Tut, tut, tut, Dean,_ ** Alistair padded forward. Dean winced and tried to pull away, but that big, familiar nose bet down, pressing him to the ground. Unlike earlier with Michael, Dean was frozen, unable to resist, even as images he’d been repressing shot to his mind.

**_There, there, now. You’re a good boy, aren’t you -_ **

_A loud, cruel laugh, even as something pulled at his nipples, something hot burning his back -_

_A hand on his cock, stroking roughly, the dominance Dean loved to submit to now weaponized as his choice was taken away, away, away -_

_He was coming, he’d come, at hands that were an interloper’s, he was left with no dignity, he was nothing -_

**_Dean,_ ** Cas’s desperate voice cut through the haze of memory and he snapped up to see Alistair on top of him, clawing at his skin.

 **_Dean, it wasn’t your fault, beloved, fight him,_ ** Cas was begging. Uriel snarled, snapping at his neck and Cas dodged it, trying to move towards his mate, but the other wolf wasn’t having it - he clawed at the white shifter’s back, yanking him back.

**_Dean!_ **

And motherfucker, Cas was right.

Alistair took him once, he _wasn’t_ fucking doing it again.

Dean snarled, kicking back in a furious rage. It wasn’t even a very powerful or strong kick, but it startled the wolf long enough that Dean rolled away from his grip, panting as he tried to stagger to his feet.

 **_You stay the fuck away from me, you son of a bitch,_ ** he hissed.

 **_Well, well, well,_ ** Alistair sounded amused **_. Looks like the puppy has some fight in him. But I’m a wolf, kiddo. You’re a human, with his powers bound. What do you think you can possibly do to stop me?_ **

Dean winced; Alistair wasn’t wrong. He was screwed - Cas was busy trying to get Uriel off of him and he was bound to the damn Circle, his magic held back.

But that didn't mean he wasn’t gonna try.

He closed his eyes, yanking hard at against the restraints that held his powers down; one rune. All it would take was the erasure of a _single_ rune and he’d be fucking free -

**_Dean!_ **

That was all the warning he had; his eyes shot open to see Alistair pouncing in his direction. He rolled away just in time as the wolf’s jaws snapped at the empty air where he’d been just second previously. Alistair rolled to dispense of the momentum and then got to his feet, opening his mouth widely and letting his long tongue hang out as he tilted his head lazily.

Fuck, Dean was so screwed.

He opened his mouth to call him out, to stall him while he tried to get the runes working; fuck, he needed to get out, like yesterday, fuck, fuck, _fuck_ -

 **_You’re a human, Dean,_ ** Alistair stressed. **_I’m a wolf. Michael may lead the Pack wrong, but he isn’t wrong about this. Being a wolf is -_ **

A loud howl erupted from his mouth as he choked, blood spraying the air.

The restraints snapped and Dean stumbled forward, suddenly pushing against nothing, his magic bubbling to the surface. He sighed in relief as he felt the power surge against his fingertips, sizzling beneath his skin like it should.

“Die, you goddamned son of a bitch,” he hissed, and called all the power he could spare right now - which wasn’t very much, given how tired he was. But it was enough, and he pushed it towards Alistair, grabbing the wolf’s muzzle tightly and snapping his jaws shut.

Alistair struggled violently, howling and whining against Dean’s grip, but the witch held on tightly, channeling all the hatred, all the anger into his spell, throwing in all those painful memories, all that trauma against Alistair.

Bastard raped him, used him and tortured him - Dean wasn’t forgiving, not by a long shot. This was his goddamned revenge and he was gettin’ it.

But more importantly… Alistair _threatened_ Cas and Sammy.

He wasn’t getting away.

With a loud yell, Dean pushed -

\- and the wolf’s neck snapped.

Dean stumbled as Alistair fell, boneless, to the ground, rolling like a barrel across the clearing. He held on tightly, ignoring the chaos around him; distantly, he could still hear Cas and Uriel fighting, could hear the snarls of Michael and Lucifer as they fought over territory.

When finally he rolled to a stop, he was panting, tears blinding his eyes. He’d done it. Alistair was _gone_.

It didn't give him the satisfaction he’d thought it would; right now, Dean couldn't, _wouldn't_ feel anything - right now, Cas needed him.

As though he’d heard that thought, Cas called out frantically, panic flooding his voice.

**_Dean! Beloved -_ **

**_I’m okay, Cas._ **

He pushed the dead wolf’s body off of him, dusting his hands against grimy pants.

“Seriously dude, ew.”

Dean’s head shot up so fast, he almost gave himself a crick. In front of him, in all her redheaded glory, was his apprentice, wrinkling her nose at Alistair’s broken and mangled form next to him.

And suddenly, it registered - the silence around the clearing, Cas’s quiet pants as his mate padded over to him tiredly from where Uriel lay motionless, and Charlie’s worried smirk and Sam’s hurried steps as he scurried to help his brother up.

Michael and Lucifer were tied up, still snarling at one another. In between them, however, stood a small, frazzled-looking man with a much smaller wolf next to him. The wolf was a light brown color, its snout looking a bit strange - in fact, he looked almost like a fox, smaller and thinner and much less impressive than the two wolves on his either side.

Well, the party was over, apparently.

 **_Cas? Sam? Charlie?_ ** Dean could only silently gape as his mate nuzzled into his side, the familiar wetness of his nose pressing into his thighs.

 **_Beloved,_ ** Cas sighed.

“Dean!” Sam exclaimed.

And the ground rose up to meet his face so fast, Dean had no idea when he passed out again.

*-*-*

Castiel had assumed he knew what helplessness was.

He’d been chased out of his own home, hunted down by the very wolves he’d been raised with and by, watched as the rest of his Pack struggled to stick to one form even as they were filled with the longing of the other.

He’d been helpless when he overheard Michael’s plan for the witches, he’d been helpless he’d decided to leave the Borderlands.

But none of that - not one moment - prepared him for the utter desolation that struck when Dean’s mind was wrenched away from his own.

That moment, etched into his memory like a bad burn that didn't quite heal properly, was the singular, most horrible thing that had happened, his mate yanked apart from him and Castiel helpless to do anything about it.

That moment - until _now_.

Because then, he’d done everything he could, even submitted to the Pack alpha who would tear him apart, to save his mate.

Now, all he could do was kick and snap at Uriel’s neck, in an attempt to get at Dean, to protect his mate. Dean broke through the haze of control Naomi dropped on him, Dean called him, Dean brought him home -

 **_I need you, Cas,_ ** Dean had begged.

And Cas had heard his call - Cas would _always_ come when Dean called.

He could no more abandon his mate than he could kill himself. His every instinct was clamoring to get to him, to _protectprotectprotect -_

Which was why the sudden manner in which Uriel was yanked violently off of him was very welcome indeed.

Castiel snarled, clawing at the litter-mate he’d learnt to hunt with, snipping and biting, until he realized that it wasn’t Uriel but empty air he was pawing at.

Sam’s warm, concerned face peered down at him, hovering uncertainly over him. Next to him, Castiel saw a small, thin man, his face covered by a beard and his eyes bloodshot.

“Cas?” Sam called softly, “Cas, Dean -”

**_Dean!_ **

Castiel jumped up, ignoring the sharp spike of agony shooting through his side. But his body, weakened from the fighting and the previous week’s injuries, protested, and he stumbled, about to fall over. Distantly, he heard Dean yell, smelt Charlie standing a few feet away and he whined, wondering what the hell was happening.

 **_Woah there, bucko,_ ** the voice came from the man standing with Sam, even as he rushed forward to hold Castiel up. It was a rough, warm sound that made the shifter think of the hearth and his early days when things had been simpler, when all he worried about was the hunt and the shift itself.

He tilted his head at this strange man. **_You’re a witch,_ ** he stated - he wouldn't have been able to communicate telepathically otherwise.

“He’s not just a witch, Cas,” Sam exclaimed from next to him, “he’s-”

**_Stop it Mikey, Luci._ **

Castiel froze, pulling away from the man’s grip to face the light brown colored wolf in front of him who was pawing at Michael. The black wolf snarled back at him, hackles raised, and Lucifer howled, also turning on him.

**_Gabriel._ **

Gabriel was here - _Gabriel_ , who’d abandoned the Pack, who’d left when Castiel had been a mere pup.

Gabriel, whom Castiel had looked up to and learnt how to Shift from, who’d left him behind when Michael banished Lucifer.

He growled, throwing the man off, but Gabriel paid him no mind, instead facing the two big brothers who had raised him.

 **_You guys are tearing the Borderlands apart,_ ** his voice was strained. **_You’ll destroy everything and everyone._ **

**_You left, you traitor,_ ** Michael snarled, **_you don't get a say in this._ **

**_I’m sorry, Mikey,_ ** Gabriel whispered, **_but I can't let you do this. Chuck,_ ** he turned to the small man who nodded and let go of Castiel to step between the two snarling wolves.

Fluidly and strangely in unison, both of them pounced on the man, but he simply held hand up, murmuring something under his breath. Castiel recognized it as a protective shield spell, and even as he gasped quietly, the two most powerful wolves of the Pack simply collided with an invisible wall and bounced back as though they were nothing more than rubber balls.

Howling and whining, they fell to the ground, writhing. The man stepped over them, holding one hand on either side, fingers glowing with magic as he quickly bound them with rope, holding them down.

Gabriel turned to Castiel, about to say something, but the white wolf ignored him, refusing to meet his eyes.

Because he _recognized_ the man now - this much strength… that much Power… this wasn’t just any witch, this was a member of the Council. And from the looks of it, he was one of the most powerful members at that.

Gabriel had abandoned them all, but he’d come at the nick of time to save them all. Anger and rage and hurt bubbled beneath Castiel’s skin and he didn't know if he hated or loved his brother.

“Die, you goddamned son of a bitch,” Dean’s voice was a loud yell, and suddenly, Castiel just didn't _care_.

None of them mattered, they could all go to hell - _Dean_ , Dean was Castiel’s priority. Dean, and Sam, who ran in the direction of his brother, and Charlie, who was chasing after the dead Alistair and Dean as they rolled on the floor.

Castiel wanted nothing more to do with his Pack.

So he deliberately turned his back on them, on them all, and instead, called out to his mate.

**_Dean! Beloved -_ **

**_I’m fine, Cas,_ ** Dean cut him off, voice strained. Castiel sighed, snorting softly and padded over to where the witch was on shaky feet, nuzzling into his side.

As his mate was wont to saying, fuck them all. He didn’t care any longer; all he wanted was Dean and his family, which had - in less than two weeks - shown him more kindness and love and acceptance than his Pack had in more than three decades.

Dean swayed on his feet, asking in an adorably confused manner, **_Cas? Sam? Charlie?_ **

**_Beloved,_ ** Castiel sighed, licking the spot behind Dean’s knees. The elder Winchester looked down at him and then buckled, his entire form crumbling from the weight of holding himself up.

And Castiel, whose entire side was still bleeding, whose body was as broken and mangled as Dean himself was, didn't hesitate to break his fall.

The last thing he remembered was the leathery scent of his mate, so pure and so warm and so wonderful as he nuzzled into the neck only he was allowed to scent.

He was back with his mate.

*-*-*

_Hot, hot, so hot -_

God, it hurt, why did it hurt so much? His cock stood at attention, but he didn't want this, he didn't want this rough touch from fingers so bent and twisted, they were crooked and jagged as they grabbed at his manhood.

He didn’t want this, there was only one person allowed to touch him now, where was his mate, he wanted his mate -

 **_I’m here, beloved,_ ** Cas whispered gently into Dean’s mind, and the witch awoke with a gasp, shaking and drenched in sweat, the images burnt into his eyelids as he recalled his nightmare.

 **_Cas,_ ** he whimpered, **_Cas, he… Alistair, he - I came, Cas, Alistair, he -_ **

**_It wasn’t your fault,_ ** Cas soothed, wrapping warm arms around Dean, who was startled to realize that his mate was in human form, curled around him in a bed that was almost too small to carry the both of them.

He flinched as Cas pressed himself into Dean’s side; it wasn’t that he didn't want Cas or that he wanted to push him away, but right now…

Right now, Dean did not want to be touched.

He’d been touched, manhandled and raped - he didn't want touch. He didn't. Not even from his mate.

Cas pulled away instantly, hands moving back, fists clenching and unclenching as he held back from holding him.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, both out loud and into Dean’s mind so that the witch would grasp it. God, he hadn’t meant to remind Dean of Alistair, Dean saw, the self-recrimination floating over their link, the anger and the disgust aimed not at Dean himself for coming, for giving into pleasure that was still rape, but at Alistair.

 **_Cas, not your fault,_ ** he sighed, **_I’m sorry. I’m the asshole who can't get over this already, I’m the dumfuck who came, who forgot the protection spell -_ **

**_You listen to me, Dean Winchester,_ ** Cas said fiercely. **_None of this -_ ** **none** **_of it - was on you. Alistair raped you, Michael and Lucifer would have caught up to us no matter what. It wasn’t your fault, Dean._ **

Dean paused, not quite willing to deal with the details of that right now. He was exhausted, fuck, he was so tired, but he wanted to know, needed to know that they were safe.

“What the hell happened?” he asked.

It was Cas’s turn to sigh, and he pulled back, staring into Dean’s eyes in that familiar way, as though he was trying to drown himself in there, as though he could peer through his very skull.

“Sam- I saw Sammy, didn't I? And Charlie?” he demanded. “Cas, what the -”

“The Council,” he cut in, “Sam managed to reach the Council on time. And they came to our rescue.”

Dean’s brow wrinkled in confusion.

“Sam shouldn't have been meet with the Council without a witch,” he said. “The Council Chambers are heavily warded, no way in hell they let in a mortal so easily.”

“Charlie,” Cas statd, “is a witch, is she not?”

“Still doesn’t explain how they got here so fast,” Dean pointed. “Charlie can’t open Portals - even I’m not that great at it - and she was at least a day’s ride from the motel.”

Cas shifted uneasily, refusing to meet his gaze, and Dean narrowed his eyes at his mate.

 **_What aren’t you telling me?_ ** he snapped. **_Cas!_ **

He couldn't handle this right now, not from Cas of all people. He trusted his mate because Cas didn't lie, but Dean was at his most fucking vulnerable here. Cas needed to trust him too.

 **_Tell me,_ ** he demanded.

Cas let out a deep breath and then moved closer, hands hovering Dean’s face.

 **_It would be easier to show you,_ ** he murmured. “May I?” he raised his hands, not quite touching asking for Dean’s consent clearly.

But it wasn’t just that - there was something in Cas’s mind… an ache so old, Dean could tell he’d almost forgotten it until it had come back somehow. And it was that pain, that hurt that convinced the witch to set aside his own uneasiness and nod at his mate.

“Show me,” he muttered, and Cas places two warm hands on Dean’s cheeks, framing his face as he leaned his forehead against him.

And the link opened up fully. Despite his aversion to touch at the moment, Dean drank him in, reveling in the touch of shifter’s mind. No matter what happened, no matter how screwed the world would be, in the end, Dean had this, and his mate by his side, and that… that made it all worth it.

Memories flowed through them, Dean watching them as though he was watching a television show. He watched as Cas came to first, having fainted with him, and snarled at Sam, who’d been napping by their bedside. He watched as Sam explained the meeting with Loki - Gabriel, Castiel had snapped tersely - watched, as the younger Winchester left to fetch the brother who’d abandoned him.

And Dean, who’d been once left behind by Sam, though under very different circumstances, felt the long buried hurt his mate had kept hidden.

Gabriel had _abandoned_ Cas - he was entitled to his own life, entitled to a different world, but that didn't negate Cas’s hurt or the betrayal he’d felt when he’d woken up one morning, still a pup, and found that the brother who taught him how to make the shift was gone and wasn’t coming back.

 **_Oh babe,_ ** Dean nuzzled into Cas’s hand, tilting it towards his lips. Gently, he pressed a soft kiss to the middle of his palm, the tip of his tongue poking out to lick it shyly. Cas rubbed his thumbs over Dean’s lips, sighing against his face, and he could feel the warmth of his exhale against his skin.

 **_He apologized,_ ** Cas said finally. **_But…_ **

**_You’re still angry,_ ** Dean finished. Cas nodded, dropping his head to Dean’s shoulder, and the witch ran a hand through his hair, marveling at its thickness absently. He didn't say anything - this was something Cas needed to work through on his own.

An apology didn't mean automatic forgiveness. Dean would know; Dad had said sorry more times than he could count, Sam had apologized, and yet each time… each time, it was a learning curve, because he’d had to learn to forgive and forget and it wasn’t that easy to let go of the anger that had been propelling him forward instead of dropping from exhaustion.

Something nagged at the corner of his mind as they both fell quiet.

Exchanging anger for forgiveness…. Exchange…

Fuck, _Charlie_.

Charlie was giving herself up, Dean shot up in bed, whirling to face to Cas, who sighed in resignation.

“Charlie,” he began, “Charlie is -”

“No, she isn’t,” Cas cut in, “She’s fine.”

“She called Metatron, Cas,” Dean said desperately, already throwing the covers off, moving. This was _his_ apprentice, the girl he’d rescued from her douche uncle and taken under his wing. There was no way in hell he was letting her go back to that asshole and cook up crooked deals for him.

“And it’s been settled,” Cas stressed, “If you will let me show you.”

Dean paused, staring at him.

 **_Show me,_ ** he demanded.

Cas opened his mind again and the memories flowed easily between them.

_“As Head of the Council,” the small, scraggly-bearded (Chuck, Dean remembered) man said, “I now banish both Michael and Lucifer from the Borderlands. You shall be in solitary confinement for the rest of your lives, as lone wolves, with no Pack or no family.”_

_He was seated at a curving table, imposing looking men and women on either side of him. On his right sat Ellen Harvelle, looking grim, her arms crossed across her chest. Next to her, her daughter tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder as she sneered down at the wolves. Rufus Turner offered her a squeeze from his seat on her right._

_On Chuck’s left, a redheaded woman Dean recognized as Rowena was frowning, as was her son Crowley next to her. The short, dark-haired woman with a heart-shaped face on his left was unfamiliar, though._

_It was funny - Chuck, next to the impressive group of men and women, was almost unnoticeable but for the fact that he was sitting at the very centre. Dean hadn’t met the man; the last time he’d seen the Council had been before Bobby’s death and Chuck hadn’t been around then._

**_You can't do this!_ ** _Michael howled,_ **_I’m an alpha, I am a wolf -_ **

_“And you destroyed everything it means to be Pack alpha,” Chuck said, “Being an alpha means guiding your Pack, not dictating their every action. You’re both human and animal, Michael, but you forgot what it means to be both.”_

**_You will pay for this,_ ** _Lucifer growled his threat at the Council Head._ **_I will not let this go -_ **

**_Yeah, yeah, yeah,_ ** _Chuck interrupted._ **_Go plan your revenge where you’re going to be locked up._ **

_He waved his hand and out of nowhere, two big dudes appeared, picking up the two snarling and flailing wolves like they were nothing. They pawed and scratched, but it seemed to have no effect on the burly men as they simply marched out the room as though they were holding two children and nothing more._

_“Castiel,” Chuck called._

_Dean felt himself - as Cas - stepping forward, steps nervous and shaky. He bowed low to the Council, lowering his head in an act of wolf-like submission and Chuck smiled at him warmly when he looked up finally._

_Crowley snorted from his left, as did the brunette next to him. But while Crowley's expression was one of derision, the woman seemed more appreciative, even checking out Cas quietly. Dean frowned, scowling at her, even as he could feel Cas;s amusement float across their link._

**_It’s a memory,_ ** _he stressed and Dean turned his scowl inward, directing it at his mate._

 **_Don’t mean I gotta like it,_ ** _he muttered sulkily. Cas smirked._ **_Of course not_ ** _, he agreed._ **_If I may…?_ **

_He rolled his eyes and they both returned to the memory, reliving Cas’s moments with the Council. Chuck smiled at him kindly, motioning him forward._

_“Castiel,” he said, “why did you leave your Pack?”_

_Cas swallowed hard; walking out on one’s Pack was not something to be taken lightly. Being lone wolf, being a wolf without a Pack… it was one of the worst fates for any shifter wolf._

_“I spent over thirty years in my Pack,” he said in a low voice. “I begged Michael, pleaded with him to see reason. But he refused to,” Cas paused, sighing, “Being a wolf… he gave in to the animal completely. He forgot the part of him that was human, as did Lucifer.”_

**_I had no choice but to leave,_ ** _he muttered,_ **_I had to find help and stop them both or they’d have torn the Pack apart. And they’d have caused harm to the Borderlands and the human beings as well._ **

**_A true angel, aren’t you, Clarence?_ ** _The dark-haired woman smirked and Castiel flushed at her seductive gaze, frowning in a confused manner._

_“My name is Castiel,” he stated and Dean snorted._

**_I love you,_ ** _he chuckled and Castiel huffed, understanding that this was yet another reference he was missing._

_The woman rolled her eyes and Chuck smiled. Next to him, Crowley let out a bored sigh even as Rowena tittered lightly._

_“Indeed, Castiel,” he said kindly. “And you did your Pack a great service - you brought them to safety.” he paused and Dean smiled as the warm feeling of pride lit Cas’s chest, emitting itself through the memory into his own heart._

**_I’m proud of you too, babe,_ ** _he said softly. The link pulsed a warm red, lighting briefly before the memory continued._

_“And now, Castiel,” Chuck’s voice turned grave, “Now, we of the Council have a decision to make. Your Pack… it is without an alpha, Castiel. And such a Pack is vulnerable.”_

**_I know,_ ** _Castiel sighed,_ **_especially since few of them know the human world… my littermates need to taught human interaction again._ **

_“Well, you’re the beast we’d put to the task,” Crowley said and Dean’s blood ran cold. “Of all your Pack, you, mate, are the one who is best suited to teach ‘em how to settle in human society and still function as wolf.”_

**_I- wait, wh-what?_ ** _Cas stammered._

_“We’d like you to take over as alpha, Castiel,” Ellen remarked._

**_I coul-couldn’t possibly, I’m not -_ **

Dean wrenched himself out of the memory; he didn't need to see anymore than that. Cas was going to be Pack alpha. He deserved it, he cared so deeply about all of his littermates - he’d a made a run for it because he’d wanted to protect them, to keep them safe.

Being Pack alpha meant that he could do that properly now, he could show his fellow wolves what it meant to be both wolf and human.

Cas would be happy.

But…

Cas was _leaving_.

Cas was going away - he was leaving Dean. Like every single goddamned person in his life, and this time, Dean didn’t even want to stop him.

Because Cas deserved every good thing he was getting and Dean couldn’t, _shouldn't_ stand in the way of that, he _loved_ Cas, he wanted Cas to be happy, but Cas was going, _leaving_ -

He threw his legs over the side of the bed and stumbled forward, tears burning his eyes as the nightmare rushed back into his mind, the images burnt behind his eyes -

Dean was _broken_ , he was tarnished - he’d come at Alistair’s hand - he’d _betrayed_ Cas, of _course_ Cas was going away, Dean was pathetic, Dena wasn’t good enough, why the fuck could he never be enough, why did he always have to mess up, why, why, _why_ -

**_Dean!_ **

A rough hand caught his wrist and pulled him back. Dean struggled for a minute, staggering on his feet, before they gave up on him and he stumbled.

“Dean, I’m not going anywhere,” Cas murmured, “I promised.”

 **_You can’t be saddled with me,_ ** he was shaking, **_I geddit, Cas. And your Pack needs you, of course, you should go, they need you, I’m just a pathetic -_ **

“Dean Winchester,” Cas growled, “Do not finish that sentence. You’re my mate, and my Pack must come to terms with that.”

 **_I’m human, Cas,_ ** Dean whispered, falling back and sinking into the side of the bed. Cas didn't let go of his hand, thumb rubbing soothing circles into the side of his wrist, but he also didn't try to touch Dean, sensing instinctively that he didn't want to be touched right now.

 **_I’m human,_ ** he repeated, **_and you’re a wolf. When you were just wolf… maybe then, it was okay. But a Pack alpha can’t mate with a human, how the hell will you continue your line?_ **

Dean could see no way around it; even if Cas chose to stay with him… even if Cas could look past that betrayal, could choose to stay with someone like him… he was Pack alpha now. He couldn't take a human male to be his mate and he couldn't leave the succession of the Pack to chance again.

Cas would have to go.

And Dean wouldn't be able to stop him, because he’d seen for himself, felt it, how much Cas loved his Pack mates.

 **_You, Dean,_ ** Cas sighed, **_are an absolute idiot._ **

**_Wha - Cas!!_ ** he exclaimed as the wolf yanked him closer, curling around him in a protective circle, throwing his arms and legs over Dean in a move that was more octopus than wolf.

**_Cas, what the hell-_ **

**_You’re right,_ ** Cas muttered, **_the Pack alpha must mate with a fellow wolf, and a female one at that, to produce heirs. Which is why I turned the offer down._ **

Dean’s mind screeched to a halt as he stared at the shifter incredulously.

“Yo-you, what??!” he gaped. Cas smiled, framing Dean’s face with both hands exactly as he’d done moments ago, and the witch could only blink in confusion, shock buzzing low in his belly.

“Dude, what, Cas, you love your Pack-” he protested, swallowing hard at the affection in those blue, blue eyes.

“I do,” Cas nodded and leaned his against Dean’s forehead. “And I’m going to be involved as much as I can in helping them into their human forms, in understanding mortal society and life.”

 **_But I love you, Dean,_ ** he whispered, refusing to let Dean look away, meeting his flinching viridian gaze straight on without blinking. **_I love you, and I’m not ever walking away. Not unless_ ** **you** **_want me to._ **

**_Cas,_ ** Dean’s throat was so tight, he couldn't voice the words even if he wanted to, **_Cas, I…_ **

He was broken - he’d come at Alistair’s hands, he’d been raped, he had baggage, he was -

 **_Perfect,_ ** Cas broke through his diatribe, **_you’re perfect, Dean. What happened…_ **

He stopped, as the memories came rushing back, the phantom feel of the heat and the cold and the rough touches and angry slaps echoing in their minds.

 **_You weren’t the only one changed that night, beloved,_ ** he said finally. **_You hurt, both of us hurt. And that’s okay._ **

He looked up Dean uncertainty, and understanding hit the witch like a ton of bricks.

 _Cas_ had been tortured that night too - he wasn’t okay, not by a long shot, just like Dean wasn’t. Neither of them had escaped the whole mess unscathed. Neither of them okay - they weren’t going to be okay for a long whole yet.

 **_Cas,_ ** he said, scrambling to find the words, **_Cas, I -_ **

**_We’ll be alright,_ ** Cas said, pale but determined, **_eventually. But that doesn’t mean that I’m walking away from you, beloved. You’re my mate._ **

And finally, _finally_ Dean believed it.

The last few weeks had been a fucking whirlwind and both of them had to process, had to grow into this, to heal and to learn to love one another when they weren’t being chased. But Cas wasn’t leaving, and Dean had to trust that.

He _did_ trust that.

Silence fell over them as they lay like that, frozen, staring into one another’s eyes, Cas’s thumb rubbing slow, hypnotic circles on Dean’s skin.

The witch sighed slowly, breaking the quiet.

“So what’d you tell chuck?” he asked softly.

Cas shrugged. “That I was honored,” he answered, “but I didn't want to be alpha. I asked that they give Gabriel a chance instead; he’s in line for succession after Michael and Lucifer, anyway. And he’s actually lived amongst the mortals, so he would be able to guide them much better than I could ever hope to.”

Dean frowned, “Yeah, Gabriel,” he said, “We gonna talk about him? The hell has he been hiding all this time?”

Cas sighed, dropping his palms from Dean’s face. He looked away, slowly moving to hide his own face in the crook of the elder Winchester’s neck. Dean softened, looking down at him fondly, rubbing his hands up and down the shifter’s back. Cas arched into his touch, more like a cat than the dog he actually was and Dean chuckled, dropping a quick kiss on his forehead.

 **_He was Metatron’s assistant,_ ** he said silently. **_He’d been masquerading as Loki all this time, ever since he left the Pack._ **

**_Loki?_ ** The name sounded familiar. Dean shot up as it hit him. **_Wait, that’s the douche who -_ **

**_Helped Charlie get out from Metatron’s thumb, yes,_ ** Cas finished.

“And now she’s back under that asshole’s eye,” Dean winced, “Shit, Cas -”

 ** _If you will lemme finish,_** Cas said irritatedly and Dean shrugged in a sheepish manner. **_Gabriel,_** he continued, **_was whom I suggested the Council ask about Pack leadership. Chuck agreed to speak to him._**

**_And Charlie?_ **

**_Ellen and Jo said that making me alpha was their way of rewarding me for my actions,_** Cas **_muttered, but I asked that they speak to Metatron instead, to convince him to let Charlie out of his sight._**

“They did that?” Dean exclaimed incredulously. Even if members like Rufus weren’t complete assholes, Crowley and his mother alone were enough to put a stop to any nice plans of the Council.

Cas smiled. “Given that Charlie came bounding in to hug and thank me just an hour ago… I’d say Crowley was successful in convincing Metatron that he should never speak to her again.”

Dean’s mouth fell open. **_Crowley did that?_ **

Cas hummed, nuzzling into Dean’s neck. **_Indeed,_ ** he said amusedly.

**_So… she’s safe?_ **

**_She’s safe,_ ** Cas confirmed, **_your apprentice isn’t going anywhere, Dean._ ** He paused, pulling back and looking into the witch’s eyes.

“And neither am I,” he whispered. Dean’s eyes burned and he nodded. “I love you,” Cas added.

Hesus, this wolf was something else. It was his turn to frame Cas’s face with his hands and crash his lips against his mate’s; Cas tasted like mint and thunderstorms, something wild and from the forest, and yet so warm and gentle as his tongue stroked the insides of Dean’s mouth, wet heat passing between them like waves on a beach.

**_I love you too, asshole._ **

They were both safe, and they were home.

It was enough for now.

*-*-*

Dean was being chased.

He panted as he ran through the forest, making sure to keep his footsteps as light as possible; wolf hearing was sensitive and he’d rather not be caught because he was stomping across the ground like a buffalo. The spell he’d cast would mask his smell, so the only thing he had to worry about were sight and hearing.

He wasn’t gonna make this easy, after all - his husband had to earn this right.

 _Husband…_ god, the name sent shivers down his spine even now. Three months - three long, painful months of healing and learning to love one another without a threat hanging over their heads, three months to learn to accept each other, because, as it turned out, even though they were mad about each other, they could also get mad _at_ one another easily.

It had been three long months of discovery and rediscovery and dealing with all that happened. Neither he nor Cas had come out the same; for Dean, it was learning to accept that he still liked to submit to Cas, that it was _okay_ to want to be roughed up during sex even after being raped. For Cas, it was understanding that as much as he wanted to protect Dean, there was a difference between protection and smothering and patronizing him - it was a survivor’s guilt mixed with alpha instinct that he’d had to fight.

It wasn’t easy… but three months later, and here they were, Dean leading Cas on a mating chase to convince his wolf that he _was_ a worthy mate.

They’d wanted a simple wedding, but with Cas being hailed as the literal hero of the Pack, even if Gabriel was their new alpha - something he’d _not_ been happy about - they’d had to have an affair big enough to accommodate all of them. From Dean’s side, there’d been only Sam, Amelia and Charlie, and he’d be lying if he said that he hadn’t been pouting.

That is, until he saw Cas, walking down the aisle towards him, looking uncomfortable as hell and hot as fuck in the suit that Aimes and Charlie had insisted in putting them both up in. His throat had gone dry and all he’d wanted to do was rip the damn thing off of him, but then he’d looked into those blue, blue eyes, and everything had just sort of fucking faded away.

Romance cliches were real after all, who knew?

As much as he’d wanted to have crazy monkey sex with his husband now, they were yet to mate properly. The wedding was for Cas’s human self, but he was wolf too - and that meant a chase and a bite.

Dean wondered what it said about him that he was half-hard in his pants just thinking about it. Being _claimed_ by Cas, being held chased and mated… fuck, but that sounded _good_ . It had taken three long months to get to this point, but Dean could now admit to himself that his kinks weren’t _wrong_ , that it _wasn’t_ sick that he craved that kinda being claimed.

Because Cas _loved_ him and it was Dean’s _choice_ to submit - Dean was _consenting_ to it, and it was faith in his husband that wasn’t misplaced.

Anna had warned him that Cas’s wolf would feel the need to earn its mate’s submission. Dean couldn't make it easy, couldn't simply give it up - Cas had to _earn_ his trust, prove that he was a good mate, even as archaic as that sounded.

So he ran, masking his scent, his footsteps and camouflaging himself with clothes that were brown and green to fade into the forest, even if his heart was racing from more than just the exertion.

A sharp crack caught his attention and Dean stumbled to a stop, blood pounding in his ears as he tilted his head to figure out where the sound had come from. He whirled around, looking furtively, but there was nothing. He couldn't hear anything but the sound of his own heart thundering in his chest, his stomach tied up in knots -

All he caught was a flash of pure, pure white from the corner of his eyes before he was thrown to the ground, the heavy weight of the wolf pushing him down. They rolled over, Dean struggling against the huge beast holding him, pawing at soft fur and trying to get away.

And then Cas was sniffing at his neck, scenting him and bumping against his face and Dean just fucking melted - this was his husband and his mate.

 _His_.

 **_You’re good,_ ** Cas said softly. **_I’m so honored to be your mate, Dean._ **

He opened his mind to the witch, letting him see how Cas had followed his trail, how he’d struggled initially to figure out the direction in which Dean had taken off. But the small piece of his shirt that had caught on a branch had provided the first clue. Dean hadn’t even noticed that little tear, and he felt the corners of his lips curve into a smile at the thrill of delight that floated across their link from Cas.

 **_Not good enough, apparently,_ ** he said amusedly.

Cas pressed his wet nose against Dean, pink tongue darting out to lick the spot where the mating bite would go.

 **_You’re perfect,_ ** he said fiercely, **_my perfect mate._ **

Dean flushed; Cas could get like this sometimes, singing his praise as though he was important, as though he was something special. It was jarring, but he’d be lying if he said he didn't like it.

 **_Yeah, yeah,_ ** he grumbled, knowing he wasn’t fooling anyone. **_You caught me. What’re you gonna do wimme now, then?_ ** He smirked.

Cas growled, tightening his claws around Dean’s arms, nosing at his neck.

 **_I’m going to mate you,_ ** he snarled, **_make you mine._ ** He paused, pulling back and Dean found himself staring into eyes that were like a blue fire, burning into soul, peering into the deepest parts of him. In Charlie’s words, they were the bluest blue to ever blue.

 **_That is,_ ** Cas continued slowly, white and furry head tilting in a move that was so Cas, Dean couldn't help the wide grin that split his face **_. If I still have your consent, beloved._ **

He stopped, pulling back and stepping off of Dean, allowing the witch to sit up. But Dean wasn’t letting him go far, he yanked Cas back, throwing his arms around that familiar muzzle and nuzzling into his neck, feeling the soft fur tickle his chin.

 **_Course you do, doofus,_ ** he muttered. **_It’s always been a yes, Cas._ **

Cas whined softly, the rumble passing through his entire form. And Dean could feel it before he saw it, the way the magic rippled through the shifter’s body, buzzing through his skin. A second later, a very human, very naked Cas sat in front of him, smiling so dopily, Dean swallowed hard at the bright burning in his own eyes.

He opened his mouth to say something, say anything, but Cas pounced, pushing him back to the forest floor. Dean went willingly, submission an easy thing for Cas, _because_ of Cas… because Cas never took what he couldn't give, never took what wasn’t given freely. Which was why it was so easy to give him everything.

The wolf loomed over dean, warm palms moving up to frame Dean’s face tenderly.

“You’re beautiful,” he rumbled, breathing hot over him, placing a teasing kiss on each of his eyelids, hovering over his mouth, sharing the same air, but not quite touching.

 **_Cas,_ ** Dean groaned, “Cas, please -”

Cas cut him off with a fierce kiss, crashing his lips into Dean’s and coaxing his mouth open. Dean went pliant in his arms, surrendering willfully, moaning softly as the shifter rubbed their groins together, Cas’s naked erection bumping into Dean’s cloth-covered hardness.

Naked, god he needed to be naked like yesterday, why the _hell_ was he still wearing clothes -

A light chuckle rumbled across Cas’s lips as he squeezed Dean through his pants in a light tease. The witch groaned, breaking apart and dropping his head to the ground, feeling the rough forest floor against his skin.

 **_Impatient,_ ** Cas chided.

 **_Fuck me,_ ** Dean whined, **_it’s been three months for mating. C’mon Cas!_ **

**_Oh, I’m going to fuck you,_ ** Cas said silkily, “But you’re going to scream for me first.”

A shiver ran down his spine at those words and Dean raised an eyebrow at his mate challengingly.

“How will you do that?” he smirked, “Mr. _Winchester_?”

Cas had taken his name, stating that he was proud to be the husband of the acclaimed Dr. Winchester; goddamn, but he _loved_ this bastard.

The wolf growled and crushed his mouth to Dean’s; the next moment, the most beautiful sound Dean had ever heard echoed through the clearing they were lying in as Cas yanked at his flimsy green shirt, ripping it apart as it tore into two, exposing his torso to the cool air.

A hot wet tongue was licking down his neck, pausing to nibble at a single nipple slowly, tiny baby bites around the bud that teased it into a sharp point that was becoming almost painfully sensitive. A loud moan ripped itself out of Dean’s throat as his hips surged up instinctively, searching for friction.

“No,” Cas growled, instantly pulling away. “You will stay still. Or I won’t give you what you want.”

“Cas,” Dean groaned, “Cas, I-”

“What’s your color, Dean?” Cas demanded, by now well-versed with this game. Dean popped his eyes open, staring into blown blue pupils that were stern as they peered down at him expectantly.

 **_Green,_ ** he sighed, **_so fucking green, I’m an evergreen tree. Fuck me, goddamnit, Castiel._ **

**_Then stay still,_ ** Cas ordered. **_Be a good boy._ **

God, he was so hard, it wasn’t even funny. The light splotch of wetness forming at the crotch of his pants was telling. Cas knew exactly which buttons to push.

“Arms up,” Cas directed. **_And keep them there._ **

Dean listened, throwing his arms up, feeling the roughness of tree bark and soil against his skin. Cas was nibbling down the side of his neck again, one hand climbing Dean’s torso to tweak lightly at a nipple, worrying it with a nail before moving across to do the same to the other. He wanted to writhe, to rub himself against Cas, for friction, for some relief, but he was good, he was going to be good.

The wolf worked his way down the witch’s body, licking and nibbling across freckled skin. Dean lay there, helpless to do anything but pant and clench and unclench his fingers - he was forbidden from moving, his entire form trembling with the effort as sweat beaded his skin. Fuck, he was so hard within his pants, but Cas was taking his sweet time about it.

Finally, _finally_ , Cas breathed hot over his zipper. Dean nearly cried as the shifter palmed him, groaning loudly as he grabbed the zipper, and dragging it down slowly, centimeter by centimeter.

 ** _Cas, please,_** he begged, ** _please, babe -_**

 **_Patience,_ ** Cas murmured, **_you’re so good, Dean, so good for me._ **

Tears pricked his eyes, and Dean shook his head. Cas didn't make him wait much longer, however, as he pulled it down, freeing his erection from the thick confines of his pants. Thanking god he’d decided to go commando, Dean sighed in relief.

 **_Lift,_ ** Cas ordered and Dean instinctively lifted his hips for Cas to yank his pants down, leaving him naked and vulnerable on the forest floor. He didn't have too much time to think about that, however, for the next thing he knew, he was being folded into half, legs thrown over his torso, and a hot tongue was probing into his hole.

“Fuck, Cas!” Dean yelled, grabbing at his knees to steady himself.

Amusement shaded their link red as Cas rimmed him within an inch of his life, flattening his tongue and licking into Dean’s ass like he was starved for it. Dean would never admit it, but this was one of his favorite things - Cas’s tongue was a thing of pure magic, poking in and out, curling inside him as the shifter opened him up slowly.

 **_Don't move,_ ** Cas commanded and Dean whimpered, feeling precome drip across his belly as his cock slapped up against his skin. He held his knees up, fully open and exposed to Cas and he couldn't deny how much he liked this - fuck, but this vulnerability was something Cas was treating not as weakness but as something _special_.

Even now, with his tongue in Dean’s ass, performing one of the most filthy things Dean’d ever come across, he was turning it into something other fucking. The slow movement of his tongue, poking and curling inside and out, the rough feel of Cas’s firm grip on the edge of his thighs to hold him steady, the stubble rasping at his sensitive skin… everything was too much, there was so much sensation, so _much_ \- it was Cas, _Cas_ , **_Cas -_ **

As deep as his tongue could go, Cas’s finger was longer and he slowly pressed it inside, alternating between stroking at Dean’s prostate with his finger and licking in and out of hole. It was enough to keep him on the edge, leaking precome, but not enough to push him over, and Dean whined, knees getting tired from being in that position.

“Cas,” he begged again, “Cas, fuck me, please, sweetheart, Cas -”

He dissolved into a loud moan as Cas pulled back, gently nipping at his hole. The hint of teeth right the fuck there, a hint of roughness and dominance but not pain… Dean whimpered again, the need to come almost overwhelming.

 **_Such a good boy,_ ** Cas murmured reverently. **_I’m going to mate you._ **

He yanked at Dean’s knees, pulling them back down and loomed over his face, blue eyes tender and soft as they stared into Dean’s own.

“I’m going to fuck you now,” he stated and Dean snorted through the tears he’d never admit to shedding.

“About time,” he smirked and then yelped as Cas smacked his ass lightly. He flushed; damn, but Cas knew where to hit.

He knew _exactly_ where to hit.

Cas smirked back, draping himself over Dean, the blunt edge of his cock nudging at his entrance teasingly.

 **_So beautiful,_ ** he whispered, **_mine. My perfect mate._ **

“God, just fuc- _ahhhh!”_

Dean yelled out loud as Cas slammed home, sheathing himself fully and bottoming out. He groaned, clenching around him - Dean liked this, _liked_ the slight pain and the slight roughness that came along with the submission and the feeling of warmth as Cas wrapped his arms around him and held him close while riding him like a madman.

Sweat beaded their limbs, a drop of it falling off the side of Cas’s face and onto Dean’s nose. He opened his mouth, holding his tongue out to catch it as it rolled down, like he was drinking raindrops and Cas snorted affectionately, pulling out fully.

“Cas,” Dean whined, feeling empty and hollow, “Cas -”

 **_My mate,_ ** Cas sighed.

Dean opened his mouth to retort, but it dissolved into a loud scream as Cas slammed back in, aiming straight for his prostate, again and again, and yet again. His hand moved to pull at Dean’s cock, setting up a counter rhythm to his thrusts, making his toes curl.

“So beautiful,” Cas said, nosing at Dean’s neck, “So perfect.”

And then he slammed back in, squeezing his dick and a perfect set of teeth were sinking into Dean’s neck, the claim being made as the best orgasm of his life exploded out of him. He could feel Cas, feel every naked inch of him, both his body and mind, laid out for Dean to accept.

 **_Cas,_ ** he croaked, _“Cas.”_

Tears blinded his eyes as he clneched tight around the wolf’s cock, pleasure buzzing through his veins as he led into Cas’s mouth.

 **_Come for me, babe,_ ** he whispered, and god help him, Cas _did_ , the hot warmth of his seed spurting across Dean’s clenching channel and dripping down his thighs as his knot took, tying them together.

They both stilled, the wet stickiness of Dean’s come between them, coating their arms and their bellies. But neither of them cared, breathing the same air and panting into each other’s mouths as they slowly came down, blood hammering through their ears.

Cas finally pulled back, admiring the mating bite. He could feel Dean now, at the back of his mind, where the link was cemented - it would stay there until one of them passed into the void. Wolves mated for life, after all.

 **_My mate,_ ** he sighed, **_my Dean._ **

Dean flushed, trying to look away, but Castiel wasn’t gonna let him. He framed his hands, rubbing his cheeks tenderly, pressing his forehead against Dean’s with a smile. This was Cas’s aftercare, letting Dean know that he was loved, that every act of submission was something Cas treasured, because it mant Dean’s trust and his love and that wasn't to be taken lightly ever.

“You were so good for me,” Cas whispered, “So perfect.”

Dean closed his eyes, burying his face into Cas’s neck, the warmth settling into his bones as he tightened his legs around his mate.

 **_I love you,_ ** he murmured. **_I love you, Castiel Winchester._ **

**_And I you,_ ** Cas returned. **_Always._ **

Always… well, now that sounded like a damn fine beginning, didn’t it?


End file.
